Final Fantasy XIII 1. A World Reborned

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything from Square-Enix.

**Pairing**: SnowxHope.

**Warning**: Contain Yaoi!

Sorry for the short hiatus in fanfiction writing. I was in France, studying french for a month. However, I did manage to find some time to write this chapter despite taking a grammar/oral and A Middle Ages and Renaissance literature classes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. My brain was mentally exhausted. To add to my torture, I had to read old oeuvres like _Song of Roland _and _Christian And Iseut._ But I have to say, I really enjoyed my stay in France. It's really a beautiful country.

So here is the sequel of _Only You_. This time however the story will be a little darker and angst. This story took place after three months after the fall of Cocoon. Final Fantasy XIII-2 does not exist in this story. Old and familiar faces will make a surprise appearance. And do not be swayed because of some fluff.

**Summary**: Following the event of the fall of Cocoon, surviving in Oerba seemed like the Cocoon's heroes less problem when a new threat calling himself the Necromancer suddenly appeared.

* * *

**Chapter 1: The World Reborned**

"_Where am I_?" Hope whispered standing alone on a beach. He was surrounded by darkness, though it wasn't nighttime. Everything was grey; the cloud, the sky, the water, and the sand. He didn't like it. There was no color is this world. "_Is anyone here? Snow? Dad? Light? Anybody_?" Hope began to panic. It was cold and the eerie atmosphere was only making the hair behind his back stand up.

"_The Maestro will be returning_." Hope's eyes widened in surprise when he heard a familiar young woman's voice. He quickly spun around, seeing Vanille standing behind him. There was a strange glow emitting around the girl and Hope watched incredulously as the girl walked passed him, her gaze transfixed over the dull horizon. "_Vanille_!" Hope called out and the girl stopped.

"_Hope... I'm sorry_." Vanille said sullenly, her gazing finally turning to the silver-haired teen.

"_W-what are you talking about_?"

"_A terrible Omen_. _It's coming_." Vanille only answered softly.

"_I don't understand_." Hope replied.

"_You'll see soon enough._" After those words, a burst of light suddenly appeared on the horizon. The ray of light reached to heaven, driven the clouds away. The wind, inexplicable, started to pick up as the ocean waves becomes restless. Hope could feel his heart rate quicken. Something was happening and he doesn't have a clue.

"_Vanille? What's happening_?" Hope asked, turning his attention back to young Pulsian woman. His green orbs widened in fear when he saw his best friend walking into the grey and restless waters. "_Wait! Vanille_." He yelled out in desperation. He ran after the girl in the water, calling her name out repeatedly. "_Don't go_!" He did not want the girl to go away again. The tides were rough, pushing him back before forcefully pulled him deeper and deeper into the sea until he could not feel the ground under his feet. The next thing he knew air wasn't going through his lungs. He was drowning and as he tried to gasp for breaths, he only ended up swallowing salt water down his throat. Panic swept across his body as he tried kicking his feet but he kept sinking.

* * *

"Hope!"

Hope's eyes snapped open, finally gasping for air. The room was lightly dim from the stream of lights piercing through the single bedroom window. His body was drenched in sweat and his breathing was ragged. He felt an arm snake under his back before he was pulled onto Snow's lap. His eyes were glancing around the room, still under the spell of his dream.

"It was only a nightmare." Snow whispered seeing the panic and frightening look in the green orbs. He began running circles in his lover's back to calm down the teen's distress, and it seemed to work when Hope's breathing started to quell and the boy began lightly humming. He laid back on the bed with his lover sprawled over his stomach. However he didn't fall asleep yet. He would wait until he chased away the shadows lurking in every corner of Hope's head before he could sleep again. It seemed getting Hope to sleep was his least worry when the boy rose up and sat on the edge of the bed, staring mindlessly at the window.

"Was it that bad?" Snow asked, but his lover only glanced at him for a second before turning back his gaze to the window. Snow sighed. "You know that communication is a vital key of a relationship?"

"I saw Vanille." Hope said broodily.

"Ohh..." Snow frowned. Even though it had been over three months, he still missed Vanille's cheerful disposition and Fang. He couldn't imagine the pain Hope was experiencing; after all, Hope and Vanille were best friends. "C'mon let's go back to sleep." Snow advised. They will sleep and wake up, forgetting this night. It will just be in the past.

"I can't sleep. My eyes are wide awake now." Hope whined, then the blond grinned and leaned up on his elbows.

"Maybe I need to tire you a bit to get you to sleep?" Snow whispered huskily in Hope's ear, nibbling in on the sensitive flesh. Hope gasped in his hold, shuddering. The teen then pushed him away, glaring at him.

"Now is not a good time." Hope glared, but it was left unfazed by the blond. Although he had knew much everything about Snow throughout their journey together saving Cocoon, there was one thing Hope had learned being with the blonde's lover over the past month. Snow was a horny beast; sexually active during day and night. He could only ponder if the man had sex with anyone like this before or was it just him?

"But we haven't done it for _a while_." Snow said stressing the word a while meaning two days. He continued to kiss Hope's neck before then leaving a trail of love marks over the shoulder and down the chest. He grinned predatory when he saw Hope's breathing hitched. His hands slithered down Hope's back, quickly cupping the milky ass hidden under pajamas. Snow admitted that he had his share of fun when he was in school, but with Hope, this was something meaningful. He never had someone who would wholeheartedly offer themselves to him and him alone. Hope was devoted him and that was enough to make the boy special to him.

"My dad is sleeping... one floor below from us." Hope hissed, starting to slightly pant. A moan quickly slipped from his lips when Snow bit down on his right nipple, flickering and teasing the sensitive bud with his tongue.

"Just try not moan as a banshee as you usual do." Snow said smugly. He continued his lips down the stomach and sucking on the hips, but unfortunately he didn't heard anything from his lover. He glanced up seeing Hope's face trying to stay indifferent. His lips curled upward. "Trying to resist me? Huh... Don't worry. I get you hot and eagerly yearning in mere seconds."

"You're such a narciss- mmph..." A pair of hot lips quickly shut Hope up. And for the next thirty minutes, the single bedroom was filled with moans and ragged breathings which Hope admitted that he could not vehemently deny.

* * *

The sun had yet to scratch the horizon before Snow lazily opened his blue eyes. He yawned, stretching his muscular arm over his shoulder only to hit the wall before returning back and wrapped around the lithe and warm body sprawling over his chest and stomach. Hope's face was only an inch away, sleeping on the single pillow. His body was stiff like a rock sleeping in one position due to the constraint sleeping on a single twin bed for the past days. He wanted to adjust his position, resting on his side, but that was impossible to do without waking Hope. Snow ran his hands through those soft silver locks, receiving an approval groan from his lover. He leaned down, giving Hope a quick kiss on his temple. His eyes turned toward the single window, seeing rays of lights piercing through the lucid glass. Snow slowly and carefully raised himself from his elbows, only to have two slender arms pushing him down back in the bed.

"Snow**,** don't!" He heard an objective groan coming from his partner.

Snow chuckled when he saw two gorgeous green orbs fighting to open. He had bitten the everlasting and sweet fruit, and now he couldn't help but wanted more of the taste everyday. "Did I wake you up?" Hope didn't say anything. The teen just buried his face in the crook of his neck, avoiding the sunlight that slowly started to illuminate the dark room. "Hope, I can't get to work if you don't move."

"B-But today is Saturday. Why do you have to work today? Can't we stay in bed for the rest of the day instead?"

"I'm up for the idea, but your father has a high expectation for me to be at work." Snow stated with a sigh. Although he felt bit ease after the last night engagement had washed away. At least he could find a cure how to deal with his lover's problem. His hands glided down to Hope's back.

"Snow!" Hope groaned.

"What _Babe_?" Snow muttered innocently, firmly cupping two globe cheeks.

"Not now. I am still sore from last night." Hope hissed with a permanent blush on his face.

"You know I love it when you beg." Snow chuckled.

"And who fault do you think it is?" Hope glared.

Snow rose up from his elbows. "Not mine. You're one who kept moaning _more_ and _more_." Snow whispered in Hope's ears. The next thing he knew, he was the ground off the bed. "Yeah! Yeah! I know when to take a joke." Snow stood up, grinning. He stretched and walked into the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom.

* * *

Hope sighed, sinking under the warm blanket. He didn't fall asleep, but he laid silently in bed, listening to the footsteps walking around the small bathroom. Soon, the footsteps reentered in the bedroom before descending downstairs. Hope tried to sleep again, but the brightness surrounding him and birds chirping outside the window were enough to keep his eye lids from closing. He groaned before throwing the warm blanket off his body in frustration and entered the bathroom to start his morning rituals. His green orbs drew to mirror to see the essences of the previous night strenuous activities on his body. Snow really doesn't hold back and the man was a beast, devouring him like a juicy watermelon. The man only seemed to live off having sex with him. He was surprised and concerned that his father didn't wake from their their romp.

Ten minutes later, Hope stepped out from the bathroom, still dressed only in his pajamas only to stop when his nose sniffed something in the air. His eyes turned to exit when he footsteps quickly climbing up the stairs to see a topless Snow carrying a plate with scrambled eggs, fried bacon and toasts and a glass of orange juice. "You made me breakfast, Snow?" Hope asked whimsically, starting to salivate. It was usually the other way around.

"Don't expect much. This is the height of my cooking knowledge." Snow said mirthful, taking a seat on floor, bracing his back against bed. He gestured with his hands on the space between his spread out legs. The teen willingly took a seat, bracing against his chest. He reached over his shoulder onto the bed, grabbing the blanket, which he wrapped around himself, and Hope before placing the warm plate on the teen's legs. "I make sure to left some for your father on kitchen table but I didn't see him anywhere." Snow informed, trying to score some points with Bartholomew.

"Where did get the orange juice?" Hope asked.

"There was a sack on the table. So I squeeze some and added some sugar and water."

"Thanks. This feel nice."

"Get used to it _Babe_. I only live to spoil and make you happy." Snow leaned down, kissing his lover's neck down to his shoulder.

"_Ahem_..." Someone cough, wanting the attention of the two males in cocoon-wrapped blanket.

Both Snow and Hope flinched, their bright and glowing emotions across their face faltered from unexpected presence in the room. They turned and saw Hope's father standing at bedroom's exit, his eyes squinted at the blond. Snow tightened his holds on his lover as Hope braced back closer to Snow. The relationship between the older man and Snow was still a strain, but for the past few days the tension seemed to loosen a bit, knots by knots miraculously.

"You stayed the night again, I assumed." Bartholomew said, scratching the back of his head. He tried to remain calm, chanting a mantra in his head to distract his thoughts before they could wander at sight before him. He can only hoped that his son has at least underwear on under the blanket. Hope looked happy, and that's all that matter. He walked in the bathroom, grabbing the necessary items for his morning rituals before leaving the room.

"Mr. Esthiem, sir!" Snow called out, munching on a piece of toast. "There is breakfast on the kitchen table for you."

Bartholomew eyed the blond and then gave an approval nod. Before he conveyed his gratitude, several knocks harshly pounded on the front door which was accompanied by the frantic cries of Ms. Merry, a middle-aged woman living cross the Estheim's house.

"Bartholomew! Come see this quickly!" Ms. Merry's voiced resonated through the house.

Both Snow and Hope blinked at the middle-aged man in the room, watching the man with an intrigued gaze at the sudden event. The man walked out the room, his footsteps echoing from each steps down the stairs. Curious, Hope stood up and walked at the single window. There were people gathering on the streets like moths around a fire, but the people were frolicking around for another reason than assuming their usual daily task. The crowd of people was muttering while staring at the direction of the Steppe.

"So what is causing this sudden panic?" Hope looked over his shoulder seeing Snow standing behind him. He didn't realize the man was beside him the entire time.

"Let's go see." Hope said. They quickly threw on their individual shirts and exited the building. They entered the crowd, approaching Bartholomew who was surrounded by people asking questions. Ms. Merry was standing beside him, dressed in a white pant and a sea green ruffle shirt which were all mostly covered by a white apron. If Hope would have guess, he would've say that the woman was baking a pie due to her strong odor of sweet apricot fruit mandating from her body.

"Dad? What's happening?" Hope asked.

Bartholomew turned his son and his blond-haired boyfriend standing behind his son. He gave them a perceptible and concerned look before turning his eyes toward south of Oerba.

Snow blinked, confused from the older man's gesture. He shifted his gaze to the south before his narrowed at the sight; a large ominous cloud was spreading through the sky. It was moving toward Oerba at a fast rate. At this time, the crowd fell silent, watching with unwavering interest at the strange occurrence.

"Those clouds are moving fast." Bartholomew informed, gaining eyes from the crowd.

"No…" Hope muttered, stealing the gazes from his father. "Clouds don't move that quickly. It looked more like wings flapping."

"Are you sure?" Bartholomew asked with uncertainty to his son.

"Hope's eyes are… particular." Snow said with a grin. "He has this six sense; seeing and perceiving imminent dangers. You can call it a very strong _instinct_."

Bartholomew gazed at his son with widened eyes. He never knew Hope has this talent, but as he continued gazing into the light-emerald orbs which were staring at the scene, Bartholomew could only pondered if his decease wife has had this same gift. Everyone did say that Hope took after his mother. Ten seconds later people could see the fog of cloud as a flock of Wyverns. Panic and fear swept across some of the people faces while others like a certain silver-haired stared with irrelevance at the scene.

"They're coming to attack us!" A man's voice sudden yelled.

"Everyone! Back to your house." Bartholomew advised, before a panic could break out.

"Don't." Hope yelled as all eyes fell on him. "They are not going to harm us."

"Are you sure?" Snow turned to ask his little lover.

"They are frightened." Hope informed the crowd. "Just watch."

Snow watched as the group of the new Grand Pulse inhabitants looked on in anticipation as the flock of Wyverns approached. Some people took shelter under their house, watching from the door or through the broken glass windows. He reached his hands out, wrapping them around his lover's shoulder. A few people were taking one or two steps back out of fear when the screech of the Wyverns started to fill the blue sky. The cries slowly becomes louder and louder as the wing-scaled creatures to the eyes could see advent to Oerba. In a flash, the blue sky over their heads was swarmed with Wyverns. Snow watched in reverence like the same similar astonishing facial expression as the surrounding people, not blinking a wink at the phenomenon that was transpiring above Oerba. To his relief, Snow was happy to see that the creatures did not attack the village. However, there was a kindle of anxiety rising in his chest. It was exactly what his lover had said. These Wyverns were running away from something. Possibly something terrible.

"What are they so spooked about?" Bartholomew said apprehensively, but the crowd still remains quiet. Everyone was still dazed at the incident.

"I recognized those species. Those are the Wyverns that lived around the Steppe." Snow said.

"Mr. Estheim, Sir!" A male soldier clothed in a familiar Guardian Corp's attires quickly break within the cluster of people. All eyes turned to panted soldier standing before Bartholomew.

"What is it?" Bartholomew asked hastily.

"All contacts with excavation team under the command of Mr. Kaztroy and Ms. Farron in the Subterra Mines were lost two hours ago!" The soldier informed as a multiple pair of eyes widened in shock and fear.

_To Be Continued…_

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**A/N:** A little cliffhanger at the end wouldn't hurt anyone, I guess? Okay… so what do you think? Hate it/ like it? Feedbacks will be highly appreciated. Also I'll try to finish _The Moonlight Festival _(I think there is only 3-4 chapters left).

**Review are always welcome**!


	2. A World Shrouded In Darkness

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything from Square-Enix.

**Pairing**: SnowxHope with probably other minor pairings!

**Warning**: Contain Yaoi! If you don't like, then I would advised that you should click on the back button.

Thanks the readers who review my stories. Your thoughts and words will be in my heart for giving me the strength to continue writing SnowxHope fics.

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**Chapter 2: A World Shrouded In Darkness**

"No!" Snow spoke.

"Yes!" Hope replied.

"I said '_No_' and that's final." Snow scowled, his words were absolute.

"I'm going and you're not going to stop me." Hope huffed, still unfazed.

Gadot stood at the entrance of the Mah'habara Subterra, leaning against the walls with a small army of arm soldiers waiting to enter the deep, dark underground labyrinth. Since this morning, his life had been a living hell. He first woke up to cries of people in the street running in panic to their impending doom, but in the end, it was just a false alert. He met up with Snow and the blond's 'so called' father in the street where he was informed that they lost contact with the special excavation team under the command of Lightning and Mr. Katzroy in the Mah'harbara Subterra. Bartholomew Estheim quickly dispatched an army to scout out the missing troop in which Snow gladly volunteered him and the blond himself to help give the army a more field of information of the territory. After all, these boy scouts were going into unknown lands with no clue what to expect. The search party consisted of eight soldiers from the Guardian Corps including him and Snow. However, the scout party seemed to grow to nine soldiers when Snow's little lover had convinced his father to tag along. They set off after all preparations were complete, but before they could go to the mines, the scout party made a rendezvous stop on another ship under the command of Rydea, where they were debriefed of the current situation.

The sun was still resting high above their heads when they arrived at the Mah'habara Subterra. Their ship landed near the entrance at the Flower-filled fissures where the special excavation team was supposed to establish a base of operation. However, the team only found an empty airship with no humans in sight. With little options, they reestablished the ship's com links and they were giving new orders by Rydea to search for the missing people, but another hinderance had became apparent, seemingly the reason why Gadot and the soldiers were leaning against the walls watching with a mild amusing smile on their faces as the scenes unfolded itself. Gadot was going to see which one of two have a short end of a stick. And it's only a matter of time before Snow crack and cave in.

* * *

"Hope, quit being difficult. I'm not letting you go inside that mines with us." Snow stated, folding his arms trying to put on a brave front.

"I know those underground tunnels better than those soldiers. You should consider my help a great benefit." Hope countered.

"I am enough to show them the way through the cave and plus your father would probably skin me alive if he know that I let you go into such a dangerous place." Snow added.

"Snow, I survived in those dark and infested mines before and I can do it again."

"This isn't like the last time _babe_." Snow supplied and reassured softly. This time he and Hope are regular humans, not l'Cie. They don't have the power granted from being a l'Cie and magic was just nothing but a science to the mind. There was a light and faint energy circulating throughout his body, but that energy was only an ample supply to invoke the basic of spells. Those conjuration if used would only left a slight tickle feeling against their enemies. He could still packed a killer punch and could still hold his own against some fiends, but Hope would be a sitting prey for fiends to attack.

"I am not weak." A pout formed on Hope's lips. Hope lowered his eyes for a moment. He understood the situation very well.

"You're not weak _babe_, but this is different!" Snow tried to reason. "And no pouting or sulking!"

"What? I am not pouting nor sulking." Hope barked back.

'_Ahh... the turmoil of young love_.' Gadot shook his head. Snow just had to icing the cake and then eat it. He walked towards the bickering couple, trying to stop Snow from doing something insane before the blond could open his big mouth. There were usually consequences when something like this goes wrong.

"C'mon Champ, give the kid a break." Snow looked over his shoulder when Gadot placed his hands on his shoulder. "Wouldn't it be better if you can keep him within eyesight than leaving him alone here?" Snow's eyes narrowed at his friend. '_Was his best friend siding with Hope and not him?_'

"Thanks Gado-" Hope didn't get a chance to finished when two hands quickly wrapped around his middle before he was hauled over Snow's shoulder as the man began carrying him towards the ship. "Snow, wait! Put me down this instant!"

"I'll be back in a second." Snow spoke over his shoulder to Gadot and the soldiers while ignoring his little lover's protests. He was going to take matters in his own hands.

* * *

"Snow, quit treating me like a child!" Hope yelled, still trying to squirm out from the blond's grasp. However, Snow still refused to acknowledge him while carrying him into a secluded room in the ship. A metal door slid open as Snow placed him on his feet.

"There and now stay here." Snow smiled triumphantly, but Hope only glared at him. Snow mentally groaned at the boy's stubbornness. "I know that you are concern about Lightning and the others, and I am concern also, but I cannot worried about your safety too." Snow stood down to meet a pair of green eyes gaze giving Hope a worried look.

"I am worried about you too, Snow." Hope frowned, his voice grazing with petulant. "We promised that we will always watched each other back."

"You're not going to let me win this?" Snow sighed.

"So are we going?" Hope grinned before he yelped as he was hauled again and dumped on a firm, soft, and welcomed mattress. His hands instinctively reached out but they were caught firmly in one of Snow's hand. "And now to make sure you don't try anything funny?" Hope heard Snow say smugly. His eyes widened when Snow grabbed the blue scarf handing from his belt under the hem of his pants. "Wait! Snow!" His cries were neglected yet again as his hands were pressed and secured firmly together to one of the small steel horns on the bed headboard.

Snow moved back and marveled at the sight with a triumphant grin on his face. He gave the scarf a tug to make sure that it was inescapable and fasten tightly around the bed horn. "This is for your own good." He said and leaned down giving Hope a quick peck on the latter's lips before walking towards to the door.

"You can't leave me like this?" Hope inquired in frustration, looking stupefy at the blond.

"I will be back." Snow said and stopped at the door, not looking back. "And if we don't come back within the limit time, the ship will automatically send out a distress signal to the other ships."

Hope gritted his tooth. "You be sleeping on the floor for the next two months."

"I can survive." Snow muttered over his shoulder.

"Two months blue-balls." Hope called out, seeing Snow's shoulder tensed before the door slid close.

* * *

Gadot watched as Snow returned alone with a plain expression on his face. He couldn't believe that Snow came on top of this without losing something. And from the look on the blond's face, he probably did. "Ready Hero?" He asked, handing a rifle to his friend.

"Sorry for the delayed." Snow scratched his chin while avoiding the other men gaze. He had forgotten his little pep show he just put on. "You guys ready?" He questioned the soldiers. All agrees with a nod. "The let's go quickly. Our time is limited."

* * *

Hope gaped at the door, his body still lying motionless on the bed. '_What am I? Some helpless kid?_' Hope growled to himself. Snow will definitely pay for this. He quickly flipped on his stomach and stood up on his knees glaring at the knot on the bed headboard and covering his palms. The scarf was fastened tightly under a large triangle structure on the bed's horn. Biting his way through this problem will only took some time and he did not have the strength like Snow to probably snap the bed horn in half. He began tugging on the on the scarf only to realized that his fingers have some freedom under the restrain. If he played his card right, maybe it possible to slide his small hands out from the cramp knot. He wiggled and twisted his hands, trying to unloosen the scarf from the inside until the scarf becomes a bit slack around his wrist, then he continued with the tugging. '_I'll show the others and especially Snow that I am not weak_.' Hope smirked.

After what seemed like thirty minutes or the time it take for one or two beads of sweat trickled from his neck down to his back, Hope had managed to free himself from after being impel. He rubbed the tender flesh around his palms, noticing that there were no bruises which would only lessen Snow's punishment for later. He applauded himself for job well done and the adrenaline working its way in his blood was making his feet walking to the door. He stepped out from the room and glanced both sides for any remaining soldiers. Realizing that he was alone, Hope walked to the equipment room; grabbing a flashlight, a bag filled with survival kits and other necessary items. With the bag strapped on his shoulders, he exited the ship and walked into the mines.

* * *

Snow pinched the bridge of his nose as a wave of evocative scent of sludge, rustic metals and crude oil attacked his nostrils. He and the others were following a familiar pathway he knew too well through the caverns and every once in a while his eyes turned to the map in his hands which were giving to them by Rydea during the report. The map had indicated new routes and pathways that the excavation team had uncovered from following the fal'Cie Atomos. Their destination was marked with a circle which was located deep under the earth. During the debriefing, the report informed of a certain tectonic activity that occurred around their destination. Coincidently, the report indicated that the tectonic activity transpired this morning around the same time when the survival people watched the little scene fly over Oerba.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived deeper into the Subterra to another familiar sight when Snow and his former l'Cies companions have first encounter the Atomos. He and the group were standing on an acclaimed bridge he crossed before while looking around for their next route. Snow's eyes stopped when he noticed the falling debris and the crumbled ceilings. He assumed that an earthquake could only left this kind of devastation in it's wake.

"So where to next, Hero?" Gadot asked.

"There supposed to be pathway somewhere over there that can lead us more below." Snow informed, pointed towards the large, open underground tunnel that run perpendicular with the bridge.

"Then what are we waiting for?" One of the solider asked. Before Snow could answer, the ground below their feet began to shake. Fear swept across each faces, with the exception of Snow, who was studying this change of occurrence. "What's happening?" The soldier asked, grabbing onto the steel rail on the bridge to hold his balance. I felt like they were standing at the epicenter of an earthquake. Then there was a grinding sound and kept getting louder. Something was approaching and it was coming fast.

"As on cue as always..." Snow smiled, then in a flash Atomos slid passed under their feet through the tunnel.

"Whoa! That's the fal'Cie, isn't it?" Gadot said.

"That big guy is not going to harm us." Snow notified. "Let's find the underground pathway before he shows back." He ran down a steep hill with the others following him toward the underground tunnel that Atomos just plough through. They eventually found the route, more like a rope ladder leading down into a dark and unknown pit.

"I'm guessing we're going down there?" Gadot asked calmly trying to hide the slight nervousness in his voice.

"Another set of underground tunnels is below us. Somewhere there we will find the missing team." Snow said, folding the map and placing it in his pocket. "I'm going down first. Gadot, take the rear." He descended about six meters below the surface where he reached an opening lit by light bulbs placed on the ceiling. The light was comforting against the cold and darkness that surrounded them.

When everyone was accounted for, the group began searching through the intricate underground labyrinths. They walked in silent, staying vigilant for a while until they came toward a bypass. Snow raised a suspicious brow at the continuous passage. From the map, the route led back to the upper level. Not wasting time dwindling in his thoughts, he made a right and stopped when a pair of blue eyes widened as a gasp slipped through his lips when he saw a person lying on the ground. The atmosphere smelled of blood.

"Over here!" Snow roared, rushing towards the lifeless form. He crouched down, picking up the figure.

"Sir, who is that?" One of the soldiers choked.

"I'm not sure." Snow said softly as he stared into a pair of hallows brown eyes. He was holding a young, brunette woman in his arms. She dressed in white dress top, black short skirt and a large, white lab coat on her shoulders. She was probably one of the researchers who was supposed to be with the excavation team. However, the majority of the white top was soaked in rich deep red blood. There was a large wound on her neck down to her shoulder. The blood was still warm, but it was strange that he found the body to be cold. The woman's body was uncommonly pale with veins visible from all over her skin. What kind of monster had done this?

Then suddenly something perked the men's ears. It was a strange noise accompanied by footsteps which were approaching the group. Snow gently laid the figure on the ground before running his hands over her eyes, closing them. He quickly pushed himself against the wall at the front of the line with his fiery-haired friend and the soldiers behind them who seemed to begin sweating, cowering with shaking hands on their weapon waiting for the unsuspected intruder. He took hold of the pistol from his pocket, slowly pulling back the safety. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins as the seconds ticked away.

* * *

Hope felt his inside fluttered as he ventured deeper into the underground labyrinth. His ears and his eyes were on high alert, keeping a clear and keen sense of the surrounding. So far, he has yet to encounter any friendlies. Lightning and her team probably ran into them and eliminated them in their wake. He wondered how Snow and the others are fairing? He was following a fresh sets of footsteps in the cavern and from the small size and structure of the footprints, they were obvious not Snow's or Gadot's. He wasn't sure how long it been since he was following the tracks? All he knew was that he was going deeper into the darkened and detailed tunnels. He tried to ignore the rapid beating heart rate in his ears and his hands shaking nervously around the flashlight. He paused when he felt some strange signal in the air. His breathing hitched as his heart rate continued to intensify. He looked ahead, his keen eyes spotting some movements in the shadows. Hope swallowed down a large gulp out of apprehension. He was not alone in these tunnels.

Turning back was out of the question now. It was meaningless after he had walked this far. It wouldn't be a surprise to him if the shadows were actually Lightning and the missing others. Cautiously and quietly, he walked towards it while trying to keep his body calm. There was an unusual smell of perspiration in the air and before Hope could decipher the stench, he heard a click sound followed by something cold and hard pressed against his head. His heart just stopped.

* * *

"Hope?" Snow stared bewilderedly at the teen before him. He withdrew the pistol, putting the safety back on and placing the weapon back in his pocket.

"God kid..." Gadot nearly cursed, letting out a deep breath he was holding.

"Snow!" Hope cheered, hugging his lover. However, Snow didn't seem to share the same enthusiasm.

"What are you doing here?" Snow asked, staring at his young lover. "How did you... when did you- You're in for a spanking when all of this is over young man."

"What?" Hope yelled out, a tint redness covering his cheeks.

"What were you thinking coming here all by yourself?" Gadot heard Snow ask with a hint of irritation from the blond's voice and turned away from what seemed to be developing into another lover's spat soon. He signed turning to soldiers who looked tired like him. Those two lovebirds will probably killed them before they could leave this cave.

"What were you thinking coming inside this cave alone?" Snow tried to not yell.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Hope apologized sincerely, but Snow simply glared at him. Seems like apologizing wouldn't cut it.

Snow crouched down, meeting a pair of sea-green eyes. He reached out, wrapping his hands around the teen's middle before pulling the lithe body into an embrace. "You could've gotten yourself hurt or even worse?"

Hope blinked before a smile crept on his face. He had made worry about him. "I'm sorry." Hope repeated feeling the arms tightened around him. He wanted to kiss Snow to comfort him, but think against the idea due to the others eyes watching them. Since they have becomes a couple, Hope was not yet open to the idea of showing affections in public. He looked over Snow's shoulder and his eyes widened in shock when he saw the dead body lying on the floor. "Is she...?"

"Yeah." Snow muttered, stepping away from the embrace and returning his focus back to their mission. "From our examination, she was attacked by something."

"We need to keep moving Sir!" A Soldier spoke.

Snow nodded realizing that they were just squandering their time here. They continued their search with Snow taking the rear of the group. This way he could keep an eye on the youngest member in their group. As they ventured deeper into the labyrinth tunnels, their worst fears have came into fruition as the group came across two more dead carcasses. This time the bodies belong to a young male soldier from the Guardian Corps and other female researcher. And just like the body they found dead before, these two bodies had suffered the same fate. They had a similar large wound around the neck and shoulder.

"Snow?" Snow glanced up from the body he was examining to his little lover. The silvery hair teen looked uneasy. He saw panic swept across those gorgeous green orbs. It was just the two of them alone in the tunnel after Gadot and the other soldiers went ahead, scavenging for any more survivals.

"Everything will be alright." Snow reassured, placing a comfortable hand on Hope's shoulder.

"I'm worried about Light and the others. I hoped they are alright." Hope said, a frown appearing on his face.

"Lightning is a strong woman. She has Sazh with her also. It only a matter of time before we find them." Snow muttered, gaining a nod from Hope. He knew that Lightning could survive this and there was absolute nothing in this world that could kill that woman. Lightning would never go down so easily.

"Sir over here! We found something you should see." Both Snow and Hope's head snapped toward the direction of the voice. It was one of their soldiers. Within in microsecond, both the blond and the silverette were running towards the soldier. The soldier led them into a chamber lit with torches on the walls where the remaining others were waiting while gazing with large eyes around the room.

Both Snow and Hope gasped when they saw more dead bodies piled up in the room. To say the room was distinct was an understatement. There were strange, adorned columns similar to those in the ruin within the Paddraean Archaeopolis, eccentric Pulsian symbols on the walls and lying near the center wall was a large, uncovered sarcophagus with inscriptions on the stone lid lying, adjacent to the stone structure, covered in fresh blood. This chamber was a tomb.

"What happened in here?" Snow asked hurriedly in panic, his eyes still wandering around the chamber. Something had obviously attacked these people. No one didn't responded. They didn't have a slight idea what transpired in this room.

"I wonder if..." All eyes turned to the teen who was staring at the uncovered stone tomb. "Something was in there." There were claw markings on the edges of tomb opening. It was not anthropomorphic. It was evident that something attack the excavation team.

"You mean whatever _thing_ that been killing the team came from in there?" Snow asked, approaching behind the teen to get a better look at the stone tomb.

"I am not sure." Hope answered. Then suddenly, his brow furrowed. There was a uneasiness disturb feeling developing at the pit of his stomach. It felt like the temperature in the room had dropped. The hairs on the back of his neck was standing up sensing a pair of hungry eyes looking at him. They weren't alone in the room. Something was crawling in the shadows and it had the thirst of blood.

_To be continued..._

* * *

**A/N:** There you have it :) A small cliffie... I hoped my readers are enjoying the development of the story so far! I promised some angst, but the story hasn't reach that part yet. Also, I'm not sure when I going to write the next chapter. School starts last week and the homework has already been piling up. Just keep a look out in the near future.

**Reviews would be nice!**


	3. A World Faintly Glimmered

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything from Square-Enix.

**Pairing**: SnowxHope.

**Warning**: Contain Yaoi! Blood and Gore...

* * *

**Chapter 3: A World Faintly Glimmer**

"I cannot believe we lost that _thing_?" Lightning flared in angry and frustration, punching a fist into the cavern's wall.

"Don't go beating up the walls now. What happened wasn't your fault?" Sazh said calmly.

Lightning turned to her second-in-command and let out a sigh. She braced her back against the wall, which had just suffered an angry blow from the woman's fist, and closed her eyes contemplating on her next moves. The dark tunnel became silent. The entire day rushed by quickly only to stop at this moment. She and Sazh were in charge of a protection squad which were assisting a group of researchers and the archeologists leading an excavation operation in Mah'habara Subterra. The purpose of the excavation was to search for any lost pulsian technologies, which could still be indispensable resources for living. And the Mah'habara Subterra mines were filled with all kind of pulsian machineries. The excavation was moving smoothly, until a small group ended up wandering off on their own and uncovered a secret chamber deep into the elaborated mines. The researchers from the small group contacted them through their two-way radio, and the head researcher gave the order not to touch anything before they arrived. Fascinated by this new discoveries, Lightning and the others made their way to the small group. However, their objectives took a turn for the worse when the ground below their feet began to shake uncontrollably. From that moment, everything went downhill. Lightning clenched her jaws when she recalled hearing a demonic screech through the two-way radio followed by the pleads of 'Help' and 'Save Us' from the researchers calling out to them. The gunshots were mixed in with the cries as she and her group hastily stepped up their pace to reach the others. She could hear herself yelling in the two-way radio, telling the people to run. By the time they reached into the room, everyone was already dead, except for something that undoubtedly looked like a deform human feeding on it's last victim.

"I cannot believe all of my researchers are dead." Lightning's eyes snapped open, her blue orbs drifting to young female researcher, Susan Douglas. Ms. Douglas was the head researcher and an renown archeologist who had an intensive knowledge of Pulsian's history. She was dressed like other researchers that had accompanied her on this excavation. The young woman wore a brown framed glasses and has very light, brown hair which she has it like a bun, allowing the rest to fall down. She looked like one of those young, high school sexy nurse whom the boys in the class would accidently hurts themselves as an excuse to visit the nurse office. Beside the young woman were two young male Guardian Corps soldiers with their weapon in arms. Out of the thirty people that accompany this excavation, only five survived from that _thing's_ attack. "The entire excavation was a failure." Ms. Douglas spoke softly.

"That _thing_ is still out there." One of the soldiers spoke. All eyes turned to him, seeing the soldier tightened his hands on the gun. He was shaking.

"We can let it escape. We have to find it and kill it." Lightning stated.

"Are you insane? Bullet doesn't harm it. How do you propose we killed _something_ like that?" Sazh asked.

"I'm not sure, but I am not leaving this mines until I see that _thing_ dead with my own eyes." Lightning proclaimed. Sazh was about to open his mouth again, but Ms. Douglas quickly intervened.

"I'm staying also." The head researcher concurred. "That room is fill with Pulsian histories. I want to go back and do some research. The room may hold a key to unlock a prolific amount of knowledge and history that have yet to be observed."

"Are you all insane? I am not going-" Sazh was interrupted when the sound of gunshots vibrate through the underground tunnel. Everyone exchanged glances for a moment before dashing toward the tumult.

* * *

Hope felt a cold shivers cascaded through his body as he slowly raised his head to ceiling. His green orbs widened, as his throat became dry looking at a creature he had never seen before. Standing on four limbs on the ceiling was a creature with humanoid appearance. It was almost human, except for thin layer of white foreskin on the body where he could clearly see the red, muscle tissues. Not just the muscle tissues, but also the brain was visible on the head, and surprisingly the organ appeared to be same size of the human brain. The creature's left eyelid was slightly closed while the right one was wide opened and red, bloodshot. The mouth looked like it was tore open, seeing a set of jaws reaching almost to the neck. There was a strong thirst for blood mandating from this creature and the large talons on its limbs does not look too welcoming.

"Wh-What the fuck is that?" Gadot gasped, finally noticing the odd intruder in the room. Instantly, all eyes were looking at the creature on the ceiling. Everyone stood frozen stiff, watching in fear and curiosity as the creature sniffed the air around it, searching for something.

Hope took one step back out of apprehension and promptly, the creature's head snapped toward him before quickly sprung toward him. He felt his heart stopped as his body turned unusually paler when he watched with wide eyes at the monster lunged toward him with its jaw fully opened. However, Snow's broad back came into his view as the man delivered a harsh punch knocking the fiend away, taking a fighting stance between the creature and himself.

"You okay?" Snow asked almost in a growl, looking over his shoulder. Hope nodded swiftly, his eyes still wide in shock. Snow turned back his focus to monster to see the creature getting up on it's four limbs before slowly raising itself up on it's two lower legs, matching Snow's height.

Two gunshots rang through the room as the bullets pierced through the creature's head causing the creature wobbled a step back. All eyes widened in surprise seeing the creature still standing and muscle tissues quickly refilled the hole wound. The flesh was regenerating .

"What the fuck?" Gadot cursed.

"The bullets didn't hurt it." Hope yelled.

"_Surgere meum pretioso_." The creature suddenly crooned, slowly rising it's arms in the air as a mischievous grin forms on it's lips.

"Did that _thing_ just spoke?" Snow cocked his head. He heard a whimper coming from behind him followed by a pair of soft hands grasping his coat in a ball of fist. "What's wrong Hope?" He called over his shoulder, earning another whimper from his young lover.

"Snow?" Gadot snapped.

"What is-" Snow turned towards the others and his voice was lost at the back of his throat when he saw the dead bodies lying in the room were slowly limping to stand up. He watched with a stupefy facial expression as the bodies stood up, breathing raggedly between their lips and walking with their limped legs toward rescue group. The lifeless bodies' eyes were yellow, almost feral.

"Are they alive?" One of the soldiers asked. His only responded came from one of the walking undead body of a male researcher who quickly lounged toward him, pouncing on his body, attacking the soldier by seeking its tooth into the neck eliciting an earnest scream of agonies. The other undead seemed to like the idea as they all leaped against the group.

Snow quickly pushed Hope aside, punching an undead male soldier running to Hope. "Shit! What's wrong with them?" Snow asked, delivering a swift kick to another male soldier corps lunging at him. He didn't have any problem protecting his lover from the barrage of mindless people running towards them. As the undead keep coming, they were easily knocked back on the group like lightweight. However, the animated body still shown no determination to stop. A gunshot erupted in the room as a body belonging to a female researcher had fall on the ground beside the fiery-haired man with a bullet through her head.

"Gadot! These are own people. Are you crazy?" Snow exclaimed.

"These people are already dead. They are just hollow and lifeless body with the only intention to kill us." Gadot asserted, aiming another shot at the undead human that was still struggling to kill the soldier on the floor.

Snow clenched his jaws. "But still?" Snow gritted his tooth. He could not throw away lives away so worthlessly. He was already breaking a sweat, his breathing labored. It wouldn't take long before his body collapsed from exhaustion before these undead people killed him, Hope and the others.

"It's either them or us." Gadot barked.

"Damn it." Snow cursed reaching for the gun inside his pocket, taking aim at the dead male researcher running to him. "Open fire!" He commanded shooting three undead body on the floor.

* * *

Hope covered his ears, his eardrum about to burst from the gunshots exploding in the room. His eyes quickly search around the room, frozen when he saw the wounded soldier on the floor coughing up blood. Hastily, he dashed to the soldier on the floor. "Hold still." Hope reassured, lifting the soldier head off a warn pool of blood from the floor onto his laps. He glanced up and down the wounded body. The soldier had been afflicted with a bloody wound on his shoulder and multiple scratch marks from fighting off the mindless male researcher. He needed to stop the bleeding. If he had his l'Cie power, he could heal the wound in a matter for a second.

Hope felt a shiver run down his spine when he heard a low growl coming from the male researcher that had attacked the soldier. His green eyes gaze in incredulously as he saw the mindless body slowly wobbled back to his feet. He stared with wide eyes as the undead body which had sustained a bullet through the head stood up. "Snow!" Hope called out, startled.

Snow's head automatically snapped toward the silver-haired teen crouching on the ground beside a soldier and saw the undead researcher about on its feet. "Fuck!" Snow quickly ran, delivering a roundhouse kick, knocking the mindless body on the ground. As the body fell on the ground, it was already struggling to stand back on its feet. "They are not going down." Snow growled in frustration.

"It's that _thing_. That monster is probably controlling them." Gadot informed, turning to the humanoid creature who was standing, watching them mockingly as they struggled to stay alive.

"No more Mr. Nice Guy. That _thing_ is mine." Snow punched his fist into his other hand. "Hope, get out of here!" He couldn't fight while worrying about the teen's life.

"No!" Hope stated. "I need to help him first." He began undressing his short-sleeved orange jacket off his shoulder and wrapping the fabric around the wound tightly to add pressure to stop the bleeding. His hands were already coated in red, warm blood. The soldier will probably die from blood loss the time they could get him to a sick bay on the ship or for a _medic_ to arrive. A _medic_? Even though the curse was lifted, Hope would definitely gave for everything to branded a l'Cie for this moment again.

"Don't worry about a dying soldier lad." The soldier said coughing up more blood.

"You will make it. Just hold on a little bit more. You have a family and love ones waiting for you to return." Hope bit back. He glanced down at his bloody hands, feeling utterly useless. All he needed was one Curasa spell to seal the wound. He bit his lips, his hands were trembling from feeling useless. Without the l'Cie power, magic only seems like a fairy tale. The power induced from being a l'Cie was gone. He was just another human. Then Hope's eyes widened a sudden realization. If he don't have the magic potential, then maybe he can compensate his human energy. He just had to deep down a little and gave the magic a push from his live force. All of it sounds risky and he was not sure that it would work. But sitting here speculating is not helping the wound soldier.

"Hope, go now! I cannot keep watching your back anymore longer." Snow shouted.

"Gave me a moment." Hope spoke back.

"I got his back." Gadot interjected quickly before another lover spat could escalate. The blond stared at him for a moment, thinking about his options. Snow nodded while giving him a serious '_if Hope gets hurt, you are dead_' look before charging toward the humanoid creature while emptying all the bullets. The creature staggered with each hit, but was yet to be brought down on its feet. Snow flexed his arm, delivering a punch but missed when the creature easily jump back on the wall on it's powerful limbs.

Hope closed his eyes, focusing on the power that was flowing through his body towards his fingertips. The energy was weak, but he gave a little jolt when he added some of his life force into the energy. The soothing energy was becoming more immense and the teen hoped it was enough. Not wasting any moment, Hope released the power quickly around the wound.

* * *

Suddenly the monster stopped evading. Snow only blinked when his fist connects to the fiend's upper jaw, but the creature composure was left still and unflinching from the blow. He was a bit taken at the creature sudden reactions. The thing had a mesmerized gaze over his shoulders for a moment before the creature's head slowly turned to him. Snow only blinked before his back collided hard into the cavern wall. Snow grunted, feeling the air knock out of him. He glanced back up and his blue eyes widened in fear when he saw the monster walking to Hope. His blues glanced back and forth between the monster and Hope. "Hope, run!" Snow shouted, standing up but growled when a pain from his side sudden shot through his body. He clenched his teeth, trying to wobble to his feet.

Hope turned to Snow seeing the monster approaching to him. Gadot quickly came into it's path but the man was easily knock away on the ground by the creature's arm. Hope gasped when he felt an arm pulling him on his feet before he was pushed behind the soldier who had a gun pointing to the monster and the other hand on his wounded shoulder.

"I don't know what you just did there kid, but thanks." The soldier spoke over his shoulder, his voice was still raspy. His breathing was raggedly. "Now, get out of here!"

"Look out!" Hope shouted when he saw the monster abruptly dash toward them. The soldier, still fighting unconscious, fired two ill-shots which the creature effortlessly dodge before he was knocked out cold on the floor. Hope felt his heart stop when the humanoid creature shifted his gaze from the soldier to him. He could feel his legs shaking under the perceptive scrutinized gaze. His brain was telling him to run, but his feet weren't listening.

"Damn it, Run!" Snow gritted, trying to stride to his young lover despite his body protest. Then something seized his legs before he fell flat on the ground. He hastily shifted his gaze to his feet to see two undead corps at his feet. "Fuck!" He instinctively kicks them off his feet, but the mindless, persistent corps wouldn't let go.

* * *

Hope cringed when he saw the monster's hand slowly reached. He closed his eyes in anticipation and his heart flinched when he felt a weird, moist texture touching his face. However, nothing else didn't happen after. Curiously, he slowly opened his eyes and winced when he saw the _thing_'s face near his own. His body jerked when the hand moved up and down his face, almost tenderly. The creature was studying him, searching for something. And for a moment, Hope thought he see something reflected in those scrutinize gaze. Something emotional. "_Mox simul_." The creature uttered hoarsely as it's head slowly leaned forward. Hope's breath hitched.

"Get away from him, you filth." A woman yelled.

Hope's green orbs snapped toward the voice and his heart somersaulted when he saw Lightning charging toward him, firing a barrage of gunfire at the monster. He heard a grumble noise coming from the monster before it leaped onto wall, evading the gunfire. More gunshots erupted in the room as Sazh joined the fray.

"Don't let it escape!" Lightning commanded running to Snow, who was still struggling with the two corps, while shooting the creature on the wall. She delivered a swift kick, knocking the two corps off the blond. "Why is Hope here?" The rogue growled, extending her arm to the man on the floor.

"Talk later." Snow replied curtly, reaching his arms out only to groan in pain.

"Light." Hope cheered, running into an embrace to the woman. The contact was cut short when the rogue gently shoved him into Snow.

"Watch your idiot boyfriend." Lightning ordered. She turned to battle noticing her fallen comrades and the researchers were not getting back up. Her eyes searched for the creature to find it making it's way into the tunnels. "It's escaping." Lightning was about to run after the creature, but Sazh latched out, grabbing her wrist.

"If you're going after that _thing_, then you are doing it alone." Sazh said wearily turning to everyone the chamber. From their eyes, they were thinking the same thing. "It's been a long day."

Lightning glared at the afro-haired man, snatching her arms away from the hold.

"You'll get another chance." Sazh informed, placing a reassuring arm on the Lightning's shoulder before walking to the others.

Lightning gave a martyred sign and scratched her head. She turned and faced the others. The soldiers were aiding the wounded while Sazh, Hope, and Ms. Douglas were examining Snow's condition. From their enervated body form, everyone was still shaken despite the monster was gone. "How is Snow?" Lightning asked walking to Sazh and the others.

"Nothing too serious. Just two fractured ribs." Ms. Douglas spoke, pressing her hand gently on Snow's abdomen, eliciting a hiss from the blond.

"I survived worst." Snow smirked.

"You seem like a strong man. i like that." Ms. Douglas smiled.

Hope raised a brow, not liking the tone of the young woman's voice. He felt an overwhelmed wave of possessiveness watching her hands glide over his lover. She was smiling and all Hope wanted to do was to wipe that smile off her face. And nerve of the woman fondly flirts with Snow in front of him. "Hope, are you okay? Your hands are covered in blood." Hope's head snapped towards Lightning who had a worried expression her face. He nodded.

"It was from an injured soldier. I'll take a shower when we return to the ship." Hope replied.

"We need to report back what happened in here." Lightning sighed and turned to the head researcher. "Ms. Douglas, please make use of this time for your research. We'll be heading back soon."

The young woman nodded. She stood up, walking to the tomb examining the strange written on the stone lid that was lying on the ground.

"Can you read it?" Hope asked approaching the woman.

"It's Pulsian. Very old though. I can read some of it." Ms. Douglas spoke, running her hands over the markings. "It said:

'_His Lordship's court mage; greedy of life,_

_Gain power and immortality,_

_But his thirst was not quenched,_

_Seek power in the invisible world,_

_And obtain he has,_

_We, humans, were at his mercy for ages pass._'

"And... That's it. From here, the writing becomes a bit sketchy." She said.

"So what does all of this mean? And that monster?" Snow inquired.

"I have no idea yet. There are runes on the cover. It appears like this coffin was trying to keep something from coming out. And my researchers-" The researcher uttered solemnly.

"Curiosity gets the better of them when their hands begin to itch and open the tomb." Sazh finished, gaining a nod from the woman.

"But that _thing_ is human, isn't it?" Hope reflected.

"What give you that idea?" Lightning asked, raising a brow.

"When it was near me, it was acting different."

"How different?" Sazh added.

"I don't know. More gentle and calmer. Almost like human. And when it spoke, it seems like it was reaching out to me." Hope said softly.

"How's strange, but the these dead corps on the floor told a different story." Ms. Douglas expressed.

Hope walked to the stone tomb. He pitched the bridge of his nose when the snitch of a rotten corps attacked his nostril. Inside the sarcophagus, there were ripped white clothes. Probably used to preserve the body. His eyes snapped when he saw scatter sheets of paper lying at the foot of the coffin. The papers were old, winkled and torn edges. However, there were similar writing symbols on them as the writing on the coffin's lid. "Hey! I found something." He informed waving a sheet of paper in his hand.

"Be gentle! They are very old and could be easily tear apart. An entire society or civilization could be written on them." The head researcher advised. The teen handed her the paper marked with more pulsian writing. She glanced inside the coffin to see more scatter papers.

"What does it say?" Sazh asked.

"We can figure that out later." Lightning interrupted. "It's already late and I'm sure the others might be worried about us. We need to return back now."

"I'm all finished here." The head researcher said. "I have equipment and research materials back on the ship. My equipment would easily translate these texts rather than standing here speculating on my transcription."

_To be continued..._

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the suspense waiting. I think I went a little Resident Evil in this chapter with the whole undead attacking and stuff. Is everyone enjoying the story so far? More light will be shed on the enemy's background and Hope will be getting some unexpected competition in the next chapter.**

**Please Review!**


	4. A World Supported By Emotion

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything from Square-Enix. One can only dream though...

**Pairing: **SnowxHope!

**Warning:** Contain Yaoi (as usual)... With sugarcoated smut!

So I'm back after a short hiatus. School, families, and video games really consumed all of my free times. I hoped everyone has their trash bags ready to curdle because there is fluff is this chapter. No promise there! Also if you are worried that I'm might not finished my stories, don't worry. As a fanfiction writer and publisher, I have a priority to my readers to finish all of my stories. And that'a a promise!

Thanks to my Beta **_thewhitespirit _**for her dedicated hard work!

* * *

**Chapter 4: A World Supported By Emotion**

Hope stepped out from the steamy bathroom into the small bedroom with a towel securely wrapped on his hips, and a content smile on his face after taking a hot shower to wash away the blood and dirt covering his body. He drifted his light, emerald orbs to bed to see his dirty clothes clean and pressed. He unloosened the towel knot on his hip, letting the dampened fabric fell on the floor. He quickly got dressed before exiting the room, walking to the medic room. He was on the _Lindblum_, the army flagship. After they returned back to the ships, the survivors found the Calvary under the command of Rygdea stationed at the entrance of the cave. The Calvary had arrived after receiving the distress call that Snow had activated.

Hope's feet stopped in front the medic room as the door slid open. He pinched the bridge of his nose when a combination stench of antiseptics and antibiotics assaulted his nostrils. He took one step into the room and stopped with wide eyes when he saw Snow sitting on a medic table, shirtless. His eyebrows knitted together, and his face turning into a scowl. He was glaring daggers at the woman attending Snow's injuries. It was Ms. Douglas. He ground his teeth, feeling a strong possessive heaviness swelling around the center of his chest seeing the woman touching Snow again. He only left Snow's side for a moment to take a bath, and now the woman was already making another move. Why was she here? Wasn't there some other place she had to be at? He wished he could walk up to the two, pulled Snow into a kiss to put the old hag in her place.

"Hope, you're blocking the way!" Lightning stated over the teen's ears.

Hope yelped in shock before turning around to face Lightning and Sazh with a glare. The pink-haired soldier and the afro-haired man easily and amusingly ignored his glare with a smile and walked pass him into the room. With his jaws tightened, Hope followed the rogue, but his eyes were fixed on the sight of Snow and the head researcher talking whimsically.

* * *

Snow turned when he saw Lightning, Sazh, and his little minx lover walking towards them. He blinked when he saw the glower on Hope's face.

"Snow, you haven't turned in your report yet?" Lightning inquired.

"Sorry for the delay, but I'm a little busy still trying to stay alive from my injuries." Snow said dryly.

Lightning snorted and turned to the young woman attending Snow's condition. "Ms. Douglas, we're still anticipating your research at the hand. Please don't worry about the wounded. Just concentrate on your own research for now."

"I already made scans of image of the original. They are being process and translate as we speak on the computer. I'll attend to them later after I finished here." Ms. Douglas informed taking a roll of bandages from a first-aid kit on the counter. However, she didn't expect the silver-haired kid to step forward, swiping the roll of bandages from her hand. She did a double take when she saw the heat stare emanating from those angry green orbs.

"I'll take care of him. You worry about your own problems." Hope stated.

"Do you even know what you are doing _kid_?" The head researcher spoke, placing her hands on each side of her hips.

"Don't worry about Hope here," Snow smiled, wrapping his hand around Hope's shoulders before pulling the teen against him. "He had enough experienced bandaging my wounds on our journey together."

A slight hiss slithered over a pair of lips from a wounded soldier lying on a bed gaining eyes from the group of people standing around a medic table, which a blond had his comfortable ass lying on. Everyone watched as a middle-aged old nurse dressed in white stab a syringe into the man's left arm and then releasing the content into the soldier arms before gently rubbing the flesh with a white cotton covered in antiseptic. The soldier was the same man who had incurred a serious wound on his shoulder after been biting by one of the undead. Without the helmet, the group could finally see the soldier's face. Like most of the recruiters, he was also young. The soldier looked to be in his early twenties despite the pale feature across his face and slight sweating flowing down from the black, dampen locks of hairs.

"There will a slight numbness and burning for a while, but it will eventually go away." The nurse cooled.

"How are you holding up their champ?" Snow called out. The soldier glanced toward them and gave them a reassuring smile despite the strange discomfort exuding from his hand.

"The wounded isn't serious, but he had lost quite amount of blood. I injected him with an anti-bacterial medication in case he contracts an infection from the bite." The nurse informed to the others before taking her leave.

"I must thank you for whatever miracle you did before." Everyone's head shifted to injured soldier who held a serious, but gratitude expression on his face toward Hope.

"What miracle did he do?" Lightning questioned blinking. She turned to Hope, seeing the teen's body tense like a rock.

"He cured my wound." The soldier informed them who raised a suspicious brow at the teen.

Hope bit his lips. He wasn't sure about telling the others the truth that he used magic.

"Hope?" Lightning asked, her voice becoming hard and serious.

Hope signed inwardly. Lightning was not going to buy into a ridiculous answer he told her anyway. "I used _magic_ to heal his wound." Hope informed her.

"_Magic_? But-but how?" Snow inquired, confusion riddled across his face.

"It wasn't l'Cie magic..." Hope quickly added before turning quiet yet again. He was still weighing on the options to tell them the truth, but from the way Lightning's hands folded together against her chest assured that the pink-haired woman did not had all the time in the world to wait for an answer. "I-I used my own energy."

"What?" Snow said in disbelief.

"You used your own life? As in your life energy? And convert it as magic?" Sazh asked.

Hope slowly nodded.

"Hope! That's dangerous!" Lightning declared, her voice rising. "Using your own life force as energy is something that has yet to be analyze. We don't know the effects magic does to the body. Especially body like yours!"

"I-I..." Hope stammered, shrinking from the berate.

"That's enough. What done is done." Snow said.

"Nevertheless, I would be a goner if he didn't do anything. Thank you." The soldier smiled to Hope.

* * *

"Ouch!" Snow lowly growled from his throat. He felt stings of pain shooting through his body as Hope roughly tightened the white bandages around his midsection. "Jeez Babe, be a little gentler." Snow informed, only let out another hissed in pain when Hope made another tug with the white dressings. His little lover attending to the task at hand, not even looking at him. Hope was carrying the same scowl expression again when he first entered the medic room. Something obvious was bothering his lover?

"Hope?" Snow called out, but the teen continued to ignore him. He suppressed another grunt from his stomach as another sharp pain shot through his body again.

"There! Finished." Hope muttered, dusting his hands off together.

"Damn, Babe! My heart cannot take more torture. I think you've have been hanging around Lightning too much." Snow smiled, but his lips curved downward into a frown when he saw the solicitous expression on his young lover's feature. "Something's is wrong, isn't there?" Snow asked, gently placing his hand under Hope's chin, directing a pair of gorgeous green orbs to his concern blue eyes.

"It's nothing." Hope glanced away.

'_Nothing always means something_.' Snow pondered.

"C'mon, let's go search for some food." Hope asked. He was starving, and the grumbling in his stomach had just awoken. He was surprised that he could still be walking from the lack of nourishment after all craziness aside that transpired today.

Ignoring the slight throbbing around his middle, Snow quickly followed Hope, who was directed by another soldier to cafeteria. The room was practically empty; Hope deemed as he looked around. He noticed a familiar pink-hair and more faces together sitting around a table. His stomach grumbled loudly in protest once again demanding food and the internal organ suppressed doing a flip of joy as he and Snow walked towards the food-serving stalls, grabbing a tray in their hands.

"My, quite the appetite you have there kid?" An amusing voice purred appearing behind Snow. Hope looked from filling his tray with more food to see no other than Ms. Douglas standing beside Snow with a tray in her hand also. He gave the woman an affronted glare, not even making an attempt to answer back to the woman. Her presence was becoming an nuisance. Hope returned his focus to food at hand, not without getting a glance from the corner of his eyes when he saw the head researcher leans forward, too close to Hope's taste, and whispered something in Snow's ears. All he heard were mumbles, but the sudden intrigued expression that developed on Snow's face had left him a bit anxious. Hope couldn't distinguished Snow's feeling toward the young woman and her advances. If Snow was an idiot as Lightning claims, then he should consider his luck.

* * *

The meal was short and fast. As Hope and Snow took a seat to eat, Lightning and the others were making their way out of the cafeteria and toward the conference. Both of them quickly choked down their meal quickly before rushing toward the conference before missing any important details.

"Hope! It's already past midnight. You should be sleeping." Hope's eyes drifted to Lightning's voice as he entered the room, seeing a concern pink-haired soldier, Sazh and Rygdea seated around a circular table. There was only one person still missing.

"I think the _kid_ would want to stay a little while." Ms. Douglas suggested, walking into the room as cue, her head in a stack of papers in her hands. "There is something he needs to be aware of."

Five suspicious and confused expressions turned to the head researcher.

"What do you mean?" Snow asked worriedly.

"And what about that monster?" Sazh added. "Did the papers say anything about getting rid of it?"

"It seems like luck is in our favor because these papers here are actually records of that monster. I had to get my glasses check when I found out that words and contents of the language in this record predates over fifteen thousands year ago on Gran Pulse. Its quite astounding." Ms. Douglas said happily.

"Is there anything about that monster?" Lightning asked, getting to the point.

"Ohh... sorry. I got a bit distracted there for a moment." The head researcher apologized. "Like I said before, this is a record of that monster. It seems like the past was looking out for the future when the people complied these records." Ms. Douglas informed, seeing some of the faces brightened. "However, that _thing_ cannot be killed."

"How is that possible?" Lightning asked.

"Can such a creature exist?" Rygdea questioned.

"Just hold your questions after hearing this fairy tale drivel." Ms. Douglas said skeptically, gaining respective nods around the room.

"First of all, that monster is _immortal_." There were soft gasps in the room. "Well according to people of that time. From the records, it was once _human_ before making a pact with the undead to gain immortality and the power to control the fallen. The past, however, had found a way to get rid of that monster by sealing it away, weakened it's strength and ending it's prevail."

"All we have to do is seal it again in it's shoe box and problem solved." Snow said hopefully.

"That's easier said that done." Ms. Douglas grumbled.

"What do you mean?" Lightning inquired, raising a brow.

"The coffin is broken. However, I don't think we need to find a box. On the covering of the coffin, there were old words, different form of language than these in the records. It was written on the edges. I think it was some form of incantation. An incantation of magic that was probably a seal to trap that monster." Ms. Douglas said, flipping from pages to pages. "That monster is weak at the moment. Right now that monster is searching and feeding on life energy to regain back it's strength. However in its current state, its body is unstable after being seal away so many years and it will searched for a more suitable undead body; an undead body which could manipulative magic."

"An undead body?" Hope inquired. Where could one find a dead body that uses magic?

"His magic is something usual. It is a forbidden magic completely divorced from humanity. The people claimed its power was not natural. That is why it needed an undead body and the reason why the people saw it as a threat." Ms. Douglas informed

"All of this sounds too surreal to believe?" Rygdea asked.

"Ohh and it gets crazier." Ms. Douglas said snidely, shifting her gaze the boy.

"What do you mean?" Lightning inquired, not understanding the researcher's gaze on Hope.

"In the records, it spoke about another."

"You mean there are two of them." Gadot shivered at the idea of those of those things existing.

"No. It's more like a partner. As inhumane that monster is, it still has some attachment to the world and this attachment comes in form as a human. And I think I have a mild idea who this human is?"

"Really? Who is it?" Hope asked curiously. However, Ms. Douglas held an interesting gaze on him, not saying a word. Hope blinked when a heavy silent fell in the room. The young woman has yet to answer his question, as she continued to stare at him like the obvious answer was in front her face. Then his green orbs widened in surprise, finally realizing the amusing leer the woman held on him. "**Me**?" Hope said in utter shock and disgust. The woman nodded.

"Wait! What?" Snow standing up, not liking what he is hearing. He felt sick to his stomach.

"It just speculation for now after hearing the kid encounter with the monster." The head researcher suggested, drifting her gaze to the stupefy blond and back to the silvery hair teen. "You said the monster was acting different towards you. Did you do anything that would arouse this strange behavior?"

Hope contemplated for a moment as all eyes stared motionless on his feature. Then another realization dawned. "It was after I heal the soldier using magic. That is when it started to act strange."

"Humans cannot use magic, but you three are an usual bunch. When the kid used magic, it sparks something. Something that gains that monster attention." Ms. Douglas declared.

"You can't be serious!" Snow growled, not liking the piece of information he was hearing. He wouldn't let that monster get one mile close to his Hope.

"So, what's the plan?" Sazh asked.

"We wait!" Ms. Douglas only spoke.

"Wait! We don't have the time wait. That _thing_ is growing stronger as we speak." Lightning hissed.

"That _thing_ is hiding and feeding. We couldn't find it if we tried. And it will be a waste of time and resources. A better course of action is wait and be prepared." Ms. Douglas advised.

* * *

Lightning sighed. She hated sitting and waiting. She was more used to taking action, gun-blazing with no restraints. Her eyes glanced around the conference room, falling on Hope who silently was sitting in a chair, brooding over his thoughts. She needed to get Hope far from here as possible. "Hope?" The rogue soldier called out. "You're going back to Oerba on the next ship... And no buts!" The woman added before the silverette could protest.

"No fair Light!" Hope pouted, seeing a smirk on the woman face as she walked out the room.

"Snow?" Hope's green orbs fell on Ms. Douglas who made a head motion toward the door before walking out. Hope turned to face Snow who had an stoic expression on his face. "I'll be back." The blond said to him before following the young woman. Hope suppressed glaring at the blond's back as the man disappeared out of the room. He quickly stood and peeked around the corner from the door. He saw Snow following Ms. Douglas down the hallway. Feeling a strange motion stirring in his stomach, he followed them. They made a couple of turns before stopping after they were in a more excluded area away from people.

"So what are you going to do now?" Hope heard Ms. Douglas say. He was at the corner, quietly listening.

"I'm going back to Oerba. I have to keep Hope safe." Hope couldn't feel an overjoy of warmth hearing Snow's respond.

"Then what? Will you be coming back? It will be nice you would." Ms. Douglas purred seductively, placing her index finger on Snow's chest, leaning closer to the wall of muscle.

"Wait! What?" Snow took a step back in shock and confusion.

"I would like to meet you again." Snow raised a brow when he saw the blush forming on the woman face, then realization hit. He mentally groaned. Another woman wanted to get in his pants again. That property and privileges only belonged to Hope.

"I'm sorry, but I already have a lover." Hope's ears perked when he heard Snow confession and peeped from the corner to see Snow's smiling warmly.

"Ohh..." Ms. Douglas frowned as a heavy silent suddenly surrounded the hallway. "So there is no way-"

"There is no **possible** way I can return your feeling, that's is how much I loved him." Hope blushed to root.

The head researcher pouted with a sigh. "This sucks. You didn't even give me a chance to confess. Your partner is one lucky person."

"You think so? I always thought I was lucky to be with this person." Hope saw the sincere look on Snow's face. He wanted to hug Snow so bad right now. Noticing that there was nothing to worry about, he returned back to room with a content smile on his face, waiting for his lover. He was happy that Snow shows such high hope in their relationship. And all this time he was worried over nothing. Snow only wanted him as his lover. It didn't take long before Snow reentered the conference room before walking back together to their room. It was late and in the next five hours, the sun will slowly start its ascend in the horizon. When they reached their private room, Hope watched as Snow feels the wall for the switch and seconds later, the darkness vanished. He entered the room and picked up the towel which was still lying on the floor. He heard the bed feet creaked in protest when Snow flopped his large, tired body on the single twin bed in the room.

"Why does these things always have to happen?" Snow asked airily, almost like a weary groan.

Hope didn't answer, or was it he didn't have an answer to Snow's question. He wasn't expecting being here with Snow after waking up the previous day in bed.

"First that _thing_, now you're involves. Why didn't that monster just declares it's undying love to Lightning instead?" Snow grumbled.

Hope bit his lips. Snow was still upset. He got himself in this problem and of all it would been avoided if he had listened to Snow.

"Is an ordinary life really too hard to ask for?" Snow muttered under his breath.

"An ordinary life?" Hope asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah. Waking up every morning and falling asleep to a nice comfortable bed with you beside me. Nothing really special, just a life without the constant struggles of saving the world from total destruction and doom." Snow said airily.

"I don't know." Hope mumbled.

"Hmmm. What do you mean?" Snow blinked, taking a seat near the edge beside his young lover. The teen had a frown on his face.

"We weren't ordinary to begin with." Hope replied. "Didn't everything had happened for a reason? Well, everyone's reason can be different."

"Sometimes I wished these chains of event never happen." Snow groaned. Trouble always seemed to like him a lot.

"Don't say that!" Hope practically yelled, causing Snow to flinch. "If anything was different, I wouldn't be here... With **you**."

"Hope..."

"The Purge and getting on train with the other purgees, to be honest, I was happy that Fang and Vanille had woken up on the Pulse Vestige." Hope continued, aware as Snow gently lifted him on the man's lap, lying back against the hard chest. "I know a lot of people would think its crazy to agree to that and despite loosing the people we care for..." Hope looked up, meeting Snow's gaze. "I am happy that I get to meet you, Snow."

Snow wrapped his arms possessively around his lover's middle, nuzzling his head at the crook of Hope's neck. There was an over-sensation of warmth flowing through his body. "I'm happy to get the chance to meet you too, _Babe_." Snow placed a hand under Hope's chin, before swooping down crashing his lips eagerly as Hope's. The teen kissed back enthusiasm, turning around on his lap before wrapping his arms his neck to deepen the kiss. Snow suppressed the urge to groan when he felt Hope's curvy hips grind against his nether region. Not breaking the kiss, he guided the teen back against the soft mattress. Snow gasped for air after breaking the kiss. He looked down to the panted, flustering teen below him before he was pulled down to meet those tantalize sweet lips again. A pair of large hands slid down the teen's back, moving lower, cupping those perfect firm rear. Snow was rewarded with a pleasurable moan from Hope's throat and two legs winded around his hips, pressing their heat body together. Snow pulled apart and raised a brow at his lover. Hope is being docile. It was sexy.

"So, are you going to tell what's been troubling you?" Snow said husky, nibbling on Hope's ears then moving down to plants sweet kisses down Hope's jaw. The teen was on an emotional roll coaster for a while.

"It-It's nothing." Hope gasped. At least one problem solved itself for the day.

"So you not wanting _this_ is nothing." Snow grinned, unknotting the green handkerchief, throwing over his shoulder.

"I'm horny! Can't I want sex too?" Hope pouted, pushing the thick trench coat off Snow's shoulder.

"That's understandable, but you never been this eager before though." Snow chuckled. Hope's black shirt and Snow's blue vest were next to join the fray of clothes on the floor.

"You don't want me when I eager?" Hope purred.

"Ohh I want you anywhere and anytime." Snow smirked, giving a chaste kiss on Hope's lips before moving down, leaving a trail of sweet strawberries on Hope's throat and chest. He heard more gasps as the teen's breathing labored for air. His hands were back, tracing the teen's pink buds, making then hard and flush.

"Aaah... mmm..." Hope bit back a moan, his back arched against his will when Snow bit down on his right nipple. He felt a hand drifts over his stomach and then toward his pants where a promising tent was hidden. Hope had never even felt himself getting hard, it seemed to happen naturally, a natural reaction being close to Snow. The hand quickly unbuttoned the three buttons before pulling the pants and underwear with one tug, letting his cock free. He let another moaning whimpers when Snow gripped his cock, giving a few strokes.

"And don't think that you are forgiven from that little mishap yesterday? I going to make you pay for that." Snow leered, sucking on the sensitive flesh on Hope's shoulder.

"What? Bu-But-" Hope's brain can only sputter. "You're not serious?" However, the leer on Snow's face said otherwise. "Okay, what do you want me to do?" Hope said softly, a blush present on his cheekbones.

"That would be for me to decide." Snow said, bracing against the wall and stretching on the bed. "You can start by putting those sweet lips of yours to work." Snow gestured to the obvious tent growing under his pant.

Hope muttered something under his breath and crawled between Snow's legs. He unbuckled and unzipped the pants as Snow's lifted his hips to give Hope the opportunity to pull the pants and underwear off Snow's waist. Hope gulped, saliva seeping through his teeth as he gaze to large cock. He ran his fingertips along the shaft, seeing the cock twitches in delight. He could barely wrap his hand the base of the cock as he bent forward, running his tongue over the engorge head. He licked the head once more, before slowly taking the entire head in his mouth. He licked, sucked, and nibbled the throbbing length, teasing Snow to no end whose grunts and slight intake of breaths only seemed to encourage him more. He went farther, taking as much of the cock in his mouth, before he started bobbing his head up and down the shaft. Snow, however, seemed to have a different plan when his hands ghosted under his thighs and lifted him up on Snow's laps, before locking lips once again. Snow guided him back on the bed. "On all four." Snow muttered seductively after breaking the kiss. Hope quickly complied, getting in position. He looked over his shoulder to see Snow rummaging through his coat's pocket before pulling out a small jar of lube. "That's quite a nice view. I wish I could look at it all day." Hope heard Snow purr over his shoulders. Next thing he knew his body flinch when a cold content poured over his ass and his crease. He gasped when he felt a slick finger probed his entrance before pushing in.

Snow smirked when the flustered teen's back arch, pushing back against his finger. "Okay _Babe_?" He leaned over Hope's back, kissing his lover's shoulder. He had both his knees settle near Hope's thighs and his other hands creep over the teen's flawless stomach before gripping Hope's cock, stoking it to match his finger thrusting in Hope's ass.

"Add another one." Hope groaned.

"Spread those babies wider first!" Snow demanded, nibbling on his ears.

Hope complied as another slick finger slipped inside him, brushing against a bundle of nerves. "Aaahh God!" Hope's back tried to arch, pushing against his elbow but Snow's heavy build pressed over him prevent that motion. Hope continued to mindlessly moans as the fingers continued to stretch and curled inside of him, rubbing against his sweet spot. His body was being assaulted too fast and too soon from pleasure. He curled his fingers in the sheets as bead of sweats were forming on the back of his neck from the heat surrounding the room. Then the third finger was added.

"Snow please!" Hope was at his limits. He could practically heard the grin on Snow's face. The fingers were removed, leaving with an empty feeling before something hot, thick, and slick brushed against his quivering entrance. Both strong arms were placed over his owns, fingers entwining together. He was utterly defenseless. The thick length brushed over his cheeks, sending small sparks of pleasure up his spine. "Snow!" Hope groaned, looking over his shoulder with an enticing expression on his face. He hated when Snow teased him like this.

"Just because you asked so nicely." Snow smirked, getting in position before pushing against the tight heat which shown no resistance as his cock buried to hilt inside with one swept motion.

"AHHH Snow!" Hope's back tried to arch yet again. He curled his fingers together with Snow's as the older man was preoccupying himself kissing his left shoulder and his neck, while giving him time to adjust. When he catches his breath, he rounded his hips against Snow's pelvis, earning a satisfying a grunt over his shoulder.

That was all the signal Snow needed before he slowly pulled out before thrusting back into the tight heat, hitting the prostate with every strikes. Moans erupted in the room, but they only seemed to multiply as he steady began a rhythm.

* * *

In all the worlds, Hope could never vehemently denied making those noise to any person other than Snow. The blond's thick shaft moving in and out of him was a feeling that only Snow could only give him. And his older lover seemed to have the same impression from the grunts slipping through the clenching teeth.

"You love that _Babe_! My big cock ramming into your tight pussy!" Snow nibbled on his ears.

Hope whimpered as the pace accelerates. He turned his head to the side, crashing his lips against Snow's. "Mmmph...mmm." He groaned into the lustful kiss.

"Dammit Hope!" Snow grunted, followed by a growling sound from his throat as he could feel the Hope's impending orgasm was near from the tight ass becoming tighter to fuck. He tightened his holds around Hopes' fingers, prevent any shrewd idea in his lover head. The lithe body below him continued to gasp and shudder to no end.

"Snow, I'm close." Hope whined and moaned at the same. He was on the brink as the man's cock was practically slamming into him at this point.

Snow let go of one of Hope's hands as his hand roamed under the lithe body, grabbing the hard cock before stroking the harden length.

"Ohh... God! Snow! Snow!" Hope could only moan before crying out his release which was immediately followed by Snow, after a few more thrust, spilling his hot seeds deep inside him.

The room was left with both body panting, catching for air. Hope collapsed on his stomach as the older man collapsed on top of him, applying his weights on his elbows. After catching his breath, Snow pulled apart. Hope turned on his back, reaching his hands around Snow's neck before pulling the man down into an intense kiss.

"You like that _Babe_!" Snow panted after breaking the kiss. His lover only replied with an approval sound. He stood up from the bed, walking around the room picking up the scraps of cloths lying on the ground.

"You're not coming to bed?" His lover called out, and Snow looked up, seeing the teen still on the bed, naked and inviting. He was contemplating about visiting Gadot, informing his friend that they will be heading back to Oerba on the next ship, but he quickly washed away the idea. The fiery-haired man could wait a couple of hours for the news. Snow sauntered to bed, hoisted the teen in his arms before walking to the small crap bathroom.

"Not after a shower." Snow grinned. "And I think you might need one too."

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

**A/N: There's the sex and I hoped you guys are satisfied. I'm contemplating on the next two/three chapters, but unsure what to do? Something is going to happen, but I'm not sure if it would happen to Snow or Hope. I'm analyzing both situations and scenarios in my head as to where the story will develop. I can write both situation, but I have to choose one! Hope's scenarios is much more easier to write than Snow, where as Snow's is much more difficult and angst. Well, the result is more angst.**

**Please Reviews! Your Reviews are the source of life that get me up at 11a.m from bed every morning :)**


	5. A World Wavering Through Time

**Disclaimer: I do not own any thing from Square-Enix.**

**Warning: Contain Yaoi!**

**Pairing: SnowxHope**

**Hello my lovely readers, its final week (bloody hell!) but I still manage to squeeze in an update. I want to thank my beta, _thewhitespirit_, for her dedicate work and her editing skills. For those who lived in the south (in America), I hoped you guys are enjoying the warm weather. It's is really 71 degrees outside. I have my window opened.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: A World Wavering Through Time**

Hope blinked, glancing around the darkness, realizing that he was standing alone once again on a deserted, sunless beach. A familiar feeling of cold was making the hairs on the back of his neck stands up from the eerie atmosphere and the grey, confined sky. The torrent waves that once suffocate his lungs were reduced to ripples, sweeping along the shoreline. Suddenly his heart jumped when an unexpected hand suddenly pushed him, causing him to stumble on his footing before falling face flat on the wasteland of sands. A pair of feet covered in beige boots casually strolled around him and the figure crouched down, smiling at him.

"_You're not paying attention._" Vanille said cheerfully, a hand reaching out.

"_Vanille!_" Hope blinked, shifting his gaze from the girl's over carefree face to the hand before his face. He reached out, the girl pulling him on his feet. He stared at the girl like she was a zombie and why was she smiling so happily? He remembered the last time he saw her, the girl was stricken of remorse.

"_How is it that you are here?_" Hope asked, his eyes following the girl as she walked leisurely toward the shore.

"_You call me here silly._" Vanille giggled.

Hope's brows quirked, looking at the pigtail-haired girl with confusion. "_I never recall I ever did. And is this some weird dream?_"

"_Well... where should I start?"_ Vanille said, walking in circles around the silver-haired teen while tapping her chin with her index fingers thinking._ "We're in crystal stasis, you followed?_" Vanille asked, gaining a nod from Hope. "_Even though Fang and I were granted 'eternal rest,' our consciousness is still floating within the physical world. However, the crystal stasis is just a space where one's dreams until they awakes someday. Seeing that the strong bonds that we were shared, my consciousness can reach **you** and only **you** here. This is a closed space between only us._"

"_But the others?_"

Vanille shook her head. "_Hope, most of your dreams are lucid dreams. When you sleep, you have some self-awareness and control in your dream which makes it easy for me connect ours thoughts together. The others, on the other hand, they dreamed normally._"

"_So all of this is me dreaming._" Hope looked around.

"_Kind of. But that doesn't matter. All that matter is that you're **safe**_."

"**_Safe_**_? Safe from what?"_ Then Hope's eyes becomes rounded._ "Wait last time we met? Then does it mean that you knew what's really going on?_" Hope shifted his gaze back the older girl. The world wasn't making much sense and he needed answers. There was fear and panic swept across world.

Vanille nodded sullenly. "_Well..._"

_"It's an old-wife's tale_." A thick-accented voice appeared behind Hope, interrupting Vanille.

Hope swiftly turned around to the direction of the voice, coming to face Fang who was casually standing, bracing against a rock. _"Fang_!" The woman have her hands folded against her chest, her eyes closed, brooding in her thoughts.

"_Hey there kid_." Fang smiled, opening her eyes, before making her way towards the duo. "_Must tell that boyfriend of yours not to do anything reckless._"

"_What?_" Hope blinked at the woman's warning. "_What's Snow going to do_?"

Fang shrugged. "_I'm just warning you. You know how he is; very overprotective of you._"

"_Okay, enough is enough. Vanille, you get some explanation to do! You knew that this is going to happen from last time?_" Hope groaned, his patience wearing thin. He felt like he was in the shadow among the duo.

"_He was once a king's advisor and magician or so the tale say._" Vanille said.

"_However, his lust for power wasn't satisfied enough in the world of the living, so he seeks another source of power. A power that resided in the world of the dead._" Fang added.

"_So I was right._" Hope bit his lips. "_That monster was once human._"

"_You met it?_" Vanille asked incredulously.

Hope nodded. "_It attack our people using a weird power; a power to raise the dead. It something we never fought before._"

"_It doesn't raise the dead alone, but it controls the spiritless vessel._" Fang corrected..

"_Even though we're still in crystal stasis, we can still feel the forces of nature around us. There is a distortion in the air, and it is causing the balance to shift slowly._" Vanille said, looking up to sky with a grim expression. "_Sorry Hope_." The girl gave Hope a sympathetic look. The teen frowned, not understanding the sad facial expression.

"_This is one battle that I'll will be sitting out of._" Fang informed with a grim expression.

"_I wish there is a way we could help somehow?_" Vanille expressed hopefully.

"_Do you know if there is a way to destroy it? The records we found say that it is immortal._" Hope asked. Vanille and Fang glanced at each other for a moment before giving him a defeated look. "_But the past have found a way to seal it using magic._" He added. How is he supposed to fight something that is immortal?

"_That arcane magic has been lost for centuries._" Vanille stated. "_If you find the people who used it, then maybe you might have a chance to seal it away. But-_"

"_But the problem is finding those people who can wield those magic powers. It's been over a thousand years since those people once roam on these lands._" Fang exclaimed.

Hope's shoulders slumped. Human life on Gran Pulse was extinct after seeing the world below Cocoon with his own eyes. There was no possible way a civilization that lived centuries ago can still continue striving under these harsh conditions. And since the War of Transgression, human contacts from Pulse had vanished. He was back, chasing shadows and a flicker of hope. He felt two hands place on his shoulders. He looked up, seeing Vanille in front of him, giving him a reassuring smile.

"_Never give up hope._" Vanille reassured. "_You'll find a way_."

"_If there's a will, there's a way._" Fang stated

Hope raise a brow. The two seemed over optimistic even though this is not their battle. He sighed. Snow was right. Finding peace in this world was really demanding.

"_C'mon. We survived worse before._" Vanille smiled reassuringly.

"_You're right._" Hope said. He survived the so-called hell on Gran Pulse and toppled bigger fish before. This should be small fry compare the monsters and fal'Cie he had fought.

Strangely, the winds begin to pick, disturbing the persistent peace. However, the winds weren't blowing normally. It were moving in a pattern, almost like it have a will one it's own. The ocean waves were becoming violent, crashing against the shore. The three figures on the beach glanced around their surroundings, feeling the hair at the back their neck standing up from this new development.

"_Something coming._" Vanille muttered, looking around. She felt eyes in shadows leering at them.

"_What? Who's coming?_" Hope asked worriedly.

"_Can you feel it?_" Fang asked Vanille, gaining a nod from the girl.

"_Feel what_?" Hope asked.

"_The power of the **Necromancer.**_" Fang growled, pulling out her spear while taking defensive stance.

"_Necro...Mancer?_" Hope rephrased.

"_That is what we call it. But there is no possible way it can come here..._" Vanille whispered, covering her mouth in shock. This was a closed domain only for the trio. This thing was an intruder, penetrating through Hope's mind. She could feel a strong power surrounding them at every corner. The blood beneath her skin was boiling.

"_But why here? Why here in Hope's dream?_" Fang demanded, turning her attention to the boy. "_Why you?_"

"_Ummm._.." Hope glanced away, scratching his head nervously.

"_Well..._" Fang stated, her voice trembled sternly and impatiently like Lightning.

"_He kind of confess his love to me." _Hope informed, his face riddled with disgust_._

"_What?_" Vanille said in shock while Fang only raised a skeptical brow. "_Do the others know about this?_" Vanille asked.

Hope nodded, smiling bashfully. "_I got a mouthful from Snow._"

Surprisingly, the strange occurrence around the beach has calmed down. The winds faded as the tides in the ocean soothed, the water turning to a still. The chaotic atmosphere turned silent. However, the trio were still on their toes. Then there was a loud explosion in the air as the water in the ocean upsurges before coming toward the two female like spears. Fang and Vanille quickly evaded the attack and the world becomes silent once again.

"_Hope, you need to awake up now_." Vanille asked hurriedly.

"_What? No_!" Hope protested. "_I can stay and fight_."

"_He can infiltrate your mind, kid_." Fang stated as the world was becoming restless again. The waves were beginning to uneasy once again. "_And if you say is true before, then the necromancer is here for you_."

"_So you have to wake up. We'll stay here and prevent it from infiltrating your thoughts any further. And no BUTS_!" Vanille said sternly, stopping whatever comeback Hope's going retaliate.

"_Okay, but could you stop shaking me_!" Hope said as the body was shaking uncontrollably from the girl's hands on his shoulders.

"_I'm not shaking you_." Vanille cocked her head, giving the teen a confused look.

"_What_!" Hope blinked.

* * *

"H...ope! Hope!" A troubled voice called out.

"Hmmm." Hope groaned as his eyes fluttered open. A shirtless Snow was hovering above him, giving him a worried look. He propped himself on his elbows, rubbing his eyes fully awake. However, he didn't expected for Snow to pulled him on his laps, rubbing circles in his back.

"It was just another nightmare. You were mumbling incoherently in your sleep while writhing under the blanket. Well, that last part was sexy to see." Snow chuckled at the end. The teen remained quiet in his grasp. Hope was brooding over his thoughts. "Was it Vanille again?" Snow asked carefully, then he saw those gorgeous green orbs widened. The youth quickly broke free from his grasp, scurrying to get off the bed only to land flat in a very undignified way on the floor with those sweet ass high in the air. Snow took a moment to appreciate the view, hundreds of lewd ideas running through his head. However, the man chose not comment. His young lover quickly scampered back on his feet, rushing to the door.

"Hope?" Snow called out, he needs to stop the teen quickly.

"I need to see Lightning quick." Hope muttered.

"Hope!" Snow said more loudly, prompting the teen to a stop who turned and looked at him impatiently at the doorway. "You're not going out there looking like that, are you?" Snow only chuckled.

Hope blinked before looking at himself. He was only dressed his underwear and the piece of fabric didn't do any justice hiding all the bite marks all over his body. He blushed before rushing back in the room, picking up his articles of clothing scatters on the floor before getting dressed.

"Mind filling me in a little here?" Snow asked, standing up to join the teen to see who could get dressed quickly. The blond, however, was not in any rush like his lover. Did something happened while he was asleep?

"Vanille." Hope only spoke.

Snow stopped his hands on the zipper of his blue vest. He blinked, looking up to Hope and before he could open his mouth, the teen had already left the room, running down the hallway. He scratched his head, sighing through his nose before zipping up his vest. He grabbed his trench on the floor, throwing the thick clothes over his shoulder and followed his minx lover down the hallway. Breakfast could wait for now.

* * *

"So what do we do? We can't lie to these people." Rygdea asked.

Lightning sighed, slumping deeper in her chair. She rested her elbows on the table, her head buried in the palms of her hands. All she wanted was a quiet moment, but the world was too cruel to let that happen. Lightning with Rygdea, Ms. Douglas, Sazh and Gadot were all sitting around the round table in the conference, eyes staring at each other. It was a perfect staring contest game. However, all the contestants lost when the conference door slammed open.

"Light! He's a _Necromancer_!" Hope rushed in, shouting, startling the occupants in the room. Snow followed, walking into the conference lazily.

"Hope, what's wrong?" Lightning asked, standing up from her seat. She turned her attention to the blond, raising a suspicious brow.

Snow shrugged. "Your guest is better than mine. He wouldn't tell me anything."

"What are you talking about Hope?" Lightning inquired again.

"He's a Necromancer." Hope repeated, groaning impatiently.

"Necromance_r_?" Ms. Douglas blinked, cocking her head. "You mean that monster."

"Well, that is what Vanille and Fang called it." Hope said, gaining confuse stares around the room. "Maybe I should explain myself first." He said sheepishly, receiving a mild nod from Lightning.

* * *

"First Fang and Vanille... and now this_ Necromancer_... all of this sounds so surreal." Sazh stated. He was left astonished like the others in room after hearing the kid's little tale. Particular hearing the part of Vanille and Fang. He couldn't help but feel an overwhelming happiness. Even though the due were in crystal stasis, they were still in spirit with them.

"What is a _Necromancer_ really?" Snow asked, speaking the exact thoughts that everyone has at the moment.

"In ages past," Ms. Douglas said, suddenly standing up from her seat, walking to clear view window, relishing in the beautiful sight of Gran Pulse at dawn. All eyes were on her, following her steps. "They were sorcerers who claimed a form of magic involving communicating with the dead, either by summoning the spirits as an apparition or raising their lifeless corpse."

"We witnessed that last part with our own eyes." Gadot shuddered at the thought.

"And seeing that it probably did it again." Rygdea sighed.

"Again?" Snow and Hope said in unison, blinking.

"Early morning, Sazh and I while accompanied with a search team went to retrieve the dead bodies of the soldiers and researchers that were killed." Lightning informed to Snow and Hope. "Guess what we found?"

"Nothing." Sazh answered, seeing that Snow and Hope didn't open their mouth to answer. "The bodies were gone. We can't find a single trace of them."

"And to add to our troubles, the deceased families are demanding their love one's body back." Rygdea added.

"What are you going to tell them?" Snow asked. "Other than a few, Oerba still don't about this Necromancer."

"Telling them the truth will only cause fear and pandemonium." Lightning said. Their problems were piling up with no end in sight and that Necromancer was still lurking in shadows. They had yet to understand the monster true intentions. And then, there was Hope. She and Snow have a duty to uphold; keeping the silverette safe. Lightning clenched her fist. All of this was happening because of that atrocity. The rogue suppressed a hiss.

"Is there really no power on Pulse that defeat that monster?" Gadot grumbled.

"The Necromancer is immortal. None of our weapons can hurt. We could try fighting fire with fire, but like the kid said, those people and their knowledge have disappeared ages ago." Sazh said.

"Actually..." Hope chewed his bottom lip, all eyes turning to him. "I think there might be someone who could possibly help us?"

"Someone?" Ms. Douglas raised a curious brow.

"He is not person, but he lived on Gran Pulse longer than any of us." Hope informed, glancing towards the three other former l'Cies, their eyes widened in surprise from his revelation.

"Wait! You don't mean..." Snow muttered incredulously.

"Yes." Hope nodded.

"The problem is if he would cooperate with us." Sazh sighed.

"Let's hope he would help." Lightning said nonchalantly.

"Okay you fours, enough secrets." Gadot called out. He didn't like being left in the shadow. He, Ms. Douglas, and Rygdea were looking at them, clueless and intrigued. It seemed like the four former l'Cie had came to an understanding of a solution. "Who can help us?" Gadot asked.

"**Titan**." Hope only muttered.

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

**A/N: A minor cliffie, so eh! I did promise that something was going to happen to either Snow or Hope, but the chapter was long enough as it is (even though this is the shortest chapter is written so far for this series). I haven't reach that part yet and I don't want to give too much away yet ;) I hoped this chapter wasn't too dull or boring. It was more informative, to say the least.**

**Please Review!**


	6. A World Fragile And Insignificant

**Final Fantasy XIII: A New World Series**

**Pairing: SnowxHope**

**Warning: Contains Yaoi!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: A World Fragile And Insignificant**

"Who can help us?" Gadot asked.

"Titan," Hope only muttered.

"Who?" Gadot cocked his head. Who was this thing now? He didn't have much knowledge of Gran Pulse compared to some of the occupants in room to understand the reason of the flabbergasted look that suddenly appeared on the blond researcher's face. From that look of it, logically it only meant something bad.

"Y-you can't be serious! You're going to ask that _thing_ for help?" Ms. Douglas stated, her voice trembling.

"Hold on a minute! Who is Titan?" Rygdea asked. He and fiery-hair man were looking around the room with a puzzle expression on their face.

"Titan is a Pulse fal'Cie and an overseer of Gran Pulse," Lightning informed them.

"He is a biogenitor meaning that he consumes weaker creatures and spit out new ones thus maintaining the inducement required that hinders the possible ecological deterioration," Sazh said.

"So where can we find this Titan?" Gadot asked, punching his fist together. He was getting hype.

"Well... Just take a look," Snow scratched his head, motioning to the giant glass window which was providing the occupants in the room a beautiful and vibrant sunrise scene of the Steppe. "You can't miss him!"

"You don't mean..." Gadot's widened eyes turned to view, seeing the giant humanoid fal'Cie in horizon walking through a mountainous valley on Gran Pulse. He felt all the blood drain away from his body. "That _Thing_!"

"That's Titan alright," Snow claimed.

"You guys are kidding, right? That thing will squashed you guys like flies," Gadot cried out.

"But why go to a fal'Cie for help?" Rygdea inquired, exchanging looks with the ex-l'Cie. Didn't they free themselves from the tyrannical rules of the fal'Cie a few months ago? He and his dying comrades had fought to prevent the Cocoon's fal'Cie from having their own ways on their citizens and prevent a massive murder. So why go back to the very being that ruled their lives and raised them like sheep to be slaughter?

"I would like to know that too?" Ms. Douglas asked also.

"Titan is a pulse fal'Cie, not like the chummy fal'Cie on Cocoon. I don't think he has any plans or intentions to harm humans. And this Necromancer is endangering the habitat, shifting the balance of life. I think Titan himself would be worry of this new threat," Sazh stated.

"That just saying it lightly," Gadot snorted. "How can you be sure he will help?"

"At the time, he tested us a series of trails. We passed and somehow gained his appraisal and respect. We are not weaklings in his eyes so there is a chance that he might listen to our voice," Hope said.

"You know..." Rygdea added. "That is not much to bet on."

"We know, but we have to at least try," Snow said confidently.

"They do have a points though. Titan's age is a mystery. Historical records have indicated that the fal'Cie was on Pulse way before prehistoric age. There is a highly chance that the fal'Cie might know something." The head researcher said a little amaze of herself and the silver-haired teen to notice this before her. The boy may looked young but he was quite perceptive.

Rygdea didn't buy it though. He looked around the room, meeting each one of the ex-l'Cie's eyes. They were filled with determination and spirit. He sighed wearily. He had placed his faith before into those assertive eyes before and now he could not hesitate the slightest. These people had changed the course of the world once and they could do it again. "Okay. Where to?"

"The Haerii Archaeologies," Lightning stated. "It's northeast from the Steppe. From there we can cross through steep walls and narrowed chasms to reach Titan."

"You guys are really going through with this?" Gadot asked, gaining nods among the former l'Cies. "Well, if you guys feel so strong about this, then you guys can count me in. Decisiveness settles."

"I'll give the order to the bridge of our destination," Rygdea said, walking to the door but stopped by the door. "For now, eat and make whatever preparations."

"Yeah, I'm hungry," Snow blurted out. He and Hope didn't have breakfast yet. His stomach was empty, grumbling from the lack of nourishment. He turned to his young lover who was staring blankly at the window. He approached the teen, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hope let's go grab a bite to-"

"It is almost eerie, in a way. Don't you think?" Hope interrupted Snow, meeting the man's gaze.

"What is?" Snow asked, giving his lover a calculated look.

"How the sunrise brings out the tranquility and beautifulness of landscape and yet, lurking in the far deepest corners were a monster ready to change the world into his own image," Hope muttered.

* * *

Three hours later, the Lindblum was slowly descended over the Archaeologies with one of lower dock steadily extending to a nearby hill. The ship came to a stop and the steel door on the dock slid opened, revealing soldiers clad in full-armor and armed with gun stepping out, followed by a distinctive pink-haired woman and a afro-haired man. They were dispatched to warn off any unfriendliness in the area before visiting the giant pulse fal'Cie.

"Listen up troops!" Lightning commanded. "The monsters infesting these ruins are slow, so keep a safe distance. Our objective first is to take down the flying creatures first and then move into the ruins. Got it!"

"Roger Ma'am!" The soldiers said in unison.

Lightning, with Sazh, led the soldiers towards the cliff of the hill where they spotted the remaining ruins at the base around the steeps. To her surprise, the ruins were quiet and hollow. Her keen eyes narrowed around the landscape only to found that all trace of life had vanished. The mindless Cie'ths and Goblins that once roamed these lands were gone.

"They are all gone," Sazh said, raising a brow.

"Either this is a trick or our luck is turning around?" Lightning questioned.

"Well staying here and dwindling on our thoughts wouldn't clear our suspicion. Let's go take a look then?" Sazh suggested, gaining an approval nod from the woman. He and the soldiers secured some ropes around the scattered stones before throwing it down side of the hill.

"Wait for us!" Hope called out.

Lightning, Sazh and the soldiers turned around seeing Hope, Snow, Gadot and Ms. Douglas running towards to them. Lightning sighed, shaking her head in distress. When did the standard change for a young teen, a carefree and impulsive man with his friend, and a soul-searching researcher to troll easily around on Gran Pulse with no a care in the world?

"Hold it," Lightning placed her hand out, stopping the four. She and the others haven't secured the area and yet these four were walking with not a hint of worries into enemy territory. "Go back to ship! We have to make sure this place safe first before proceeding."

"But we can help too," Hope offered.

"You will just be in the way," Lightning muttered.

"But-"

"No buts!" Lightning interrupted, her voice rising. She wanted to get through with this task with little headaches as possible.

"Wow! It's a... It's a ruin." Ms. Douglas said eagerly and cheerfully, already climbing down the hill on a rope.

Lightning made a discomfort sound. The female researcher was already in her work mode and there was no stopping it. She and the others followed the head researcher down the hill, coming to the ruins. When everyone was accounted for, Lightning made a hand gesture, signaling the soldiers to swarm in, and to her relief, nothing out of the ordinary didn't bloom. Everything seemed to be normal from the last time she saw it, with the exception of no monster in the vicinity. But this wasn't normal. Something wrong was going on in this world and it was making her edgy. There were no signs of a struggle, so where did all the monster disappear to?

"Ms. Farron, we secured the area. However, we lose control of that one," A soldier informed her, pointing to the woman in white lab coat who was ordering the soldiers around to move and flip over the rocks in the ruins.

Lightning sighed, rubbing the space between her eyebrow with her fingers, but nodded before turning to Sazh, Snow and Hope. "You guys ready?"

Sazh, Snow and Hope simultaneously nodded together in agreement. They knew what they must have to do.

"Listen up everyone! From now on, we venture alone," Lightning ordered. "Keep an eye of the surrounding and Ms. Douglas for the time. We will be back in no time."

"Yes Ma'am!" The soldiers said together.

* * *

"I used to remember a time... not too long ago... when crossing through this mountain didn't make this old man so tired," Sazh complained between breaths. They were trolling upward through the vibrant and narrow flora. The air was quiet and so far, they didn't run into any monster. They were getting closer to fal'Cie after noticing that the steep walls were shaking.

"Hope, how are you holding up?" Snow asked, seeing the young teen bend over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"I'm... fine." Hope muttered. As much he wanted to admit it, Sazh was right. With the power of the l'Cie gone, the perks that came with being an l'Cie were gone too. He didn't know crossing through the mountain would leave him so breathless. It was so much easier when they were l'Cies. However, Light and Snow seemed to be doing fine on their own. Those two were on a different level than Sazh and himself.

"Come on, I think I could see the fissure where Titan reside up ahead," Lightning yelled a little distance away.

Hope, Snow and Sazh stepped up the pace, catching up with the pink-haired soldier. The steep walls had opened more with tall vegetation, coming to the sight of the giant pulse fal'Cie standing in the mountainous terrain. The last time they were here, they were six of them, but now the group was reduced to four. Four humans. Not four l'Cie. The fal'Cie then turned his gaze when he noticed the intruder.

"Piteous humans. The ongoing cycle of struggle and life yet cease. You have face endeavors after endeavors and you continued on," Titan said.

"Then you know about this threats?" Lightning asked, getting to the point.

"I can feel the ruckus outside these walls," Titan informed them. "He is a menace. A magus of unbelievable power."

"Then help us," Snow implored.

"You humans are weak. This peril is something beyond your comprehension," Titan uttered.

"We know what we are dealing with. They called it a 'Necromancer', an immortal being," Lightning answered.

"He is not," Titan declared, his voice rising. "His power are rooted from the power of the dead. Magic disrupts magic. He feels pain just like you humans."

A sign of relief swept across the four. Hearing this piece of information had raised what little morals and hopes they had stored in their hearts. It seemed like the past had overlooked some the monster. If Titan's words were true, then the necromancer could be hurt and that mean it could be killed also. All wasn't lost after all. They could still save their world. The question next was how they should kill it? Bullets didn't harm, however, magic seemed to draw its attention.

"You have the power to help us defeated this necromancer. Lend us your strength," Hope beseeched.

"Little one, if you seek the power of the fal'Cie then I should granted it to you," Titan offered.

The four ex-l'Cies cringed; exchanging looks among themselves after hearing the fal'Cie offers. The power of the fal'Cie; become an l'Cie, was not an option they would want to venture once again. They knew of the benefits of becoming an l'Cie. With the power l'Cie once again, they could easily topple the necromancer's power. However, everything came with a price. The consequence of becoming an l'Cie was merciless in the end. It was not a risk they were willing to take again.

"I'm sorry, but that is not an offer we would ever accept," Snow said.

"Then you have forfeited your lives to death," Titan informed them bluntly.

"And what about you? Don't you have a big role in this?" Sazh asked.

"It was a human, a soul lusting for power, who brought about this threat. It's human problem, not of mine," Titan exclaimed.

"But the balance is shifting. The ecosystem will be thrown into chaos. Isn't it your job to keep the balance in check?" Hope inquired.

"You are clever, little one. However, the balance will return eventually through time. A small sacrifice for the world to grim but it will bear," The pulse fal'Cie said.

"So this is your answer? You are just going to sit here and watch as that monster killed all humans?" Lightning demanded, clenching her teeth. This was not the answer she was hoping for.

"In this world, there is no place for self-preservation. Only the strong survives," Titan suggested, offering his last bit of thought before walking away.

"Great! Now what?" Snow asked.

* * *

Hope noticed everyone was calm when walking back to the ruins. The walk seemed to take forever even though they were walking down hill. Their last hope had turned up fruitless. The fal'Cie had offered him and the others his aid, but it was not the kind of help they were expecting. "So what do we do now?" Hope said as he stopped walking. He looked around, seeing the others looking at him. From their eyes, they looked just as lost as him.

"I don't know," Snow replied.

"But we are not down yet?" Sazh said optimistically, gaining three confused looks. "Titan said magic could hurt it."

"We heard, but..." Snow trailed off.

"Where are we supposed to find that kind of magic?" Lightning questioned. It felt like they were in this never ending cycles of questions and answers. One answer led to a question and that question led to an answer. It never stopped. The sun was slowly descending away from high above the sky when she and the others reached back to the ruins and found the soldiers exactly where she had left them. Everything was still in one piece to her relief.

"We're back," Snow yelled on top of hill, grabbing everyone's attention before they were swarmed with soldiers around them.

"So, how did it go?" Gadot asked eagerly.

"Not so good, I'm afraid," Snow replied.

"What do you mean?" Ms. Douglas demanded, a frown appearing on her face.

"Let's save the chit chat for later. We need to head back to ship," Lightning walked forward, but stopped and turned around to face Snow and Hope. "And you two are going back to Oerba right away."

* * *

The steel door slid open as Hope dragged himself in his and Snow's room on the ship, pulling off his black shirt from his head. He was in dire need of a shower since he didn't take one for the day yet. The past few days had been overwhelming. He picked up the towel that Snow had left on the floor and stepped in the compact bathroom. He stripped himself to the flesh, stepping in the shower cubical. The hot water revived his soul, washing away his worries but only for a brief moment. Hope ran his hand through his wet silver hair. This new threat was putting everyone on edge, especially Snow and Lightning. They had arrived into a thick, yet unstable wall, running out of ideas how to rid this world of this monster. As skeptical it all seemed, becoming an l'Cie once again would easily solve their problems, but that path would only lead to a worse fate than death.

Hope turned off the water, stepping out from the shower, drying himself with the towel. He slipped on his underwear and his green capri pants before walking out the bathroom. He stopped, however, he felt a dark, foreboding omen standing in the shadows of the room which was making his skin crawl from fear. The air thickened, feeling an evil magic spurring around the room. He was not alone is this room. His heart stopped when he turned to the figure stepping out from the shadows. Hope's eyes widened in fear. The figure this time was on two feet, the skin was bone-white, naked and hairless. The body was much more tone and muscular, and was towering just as tall like Snow. It looked more human than the last time he saw it. The eyes were red and there were three distinctive black dots on each side of the jaw. How did it get here?

"You!" Hope managed to choke out, backing up to the nearby wall as the humanoid creature approached closer. He swallowed, his throat suddenly becoming dry. The Necromancer reached out and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm his trembling body. His breaths came out like shallows gasps and his heart felt as if it was pounding through his rib-cage. He had been afraid, maybe a few times in his entire life, but he couldn't remember ever feeling this terrified and vulnerable. He flinched when he felt the hand grasping his chins. The hand was warm and the skin felt smooth. He made a slight whimper when the hand slowly began moving down to his neck and over his flat stomach. His heart was racing as anxiety hastily started to kick in.

"My time has come," The Necromancer spoke.

Hope jumped as his eyes snapped opened when he heard the thing speak. The voice was deep and heavy. "Y-you can talk?" He said, looking at the Necromancer with wide fearful eyes.

A chuckle echoed in the room. "Learning your tongue wasn't much of a task," The Necromancer grinned and leaned forward. "You humans are so predictable, weak and full of life."

Hope braced against the walls, before moving his head to the side when he saw the monster's head leaning forward. He closed his eyes shut, clenching his fingers into a fist and then he made a whimpering sound again when he felt two dry lips on his neck. "W-what do you want?"

"I want it all. The need, the desire and the power," The Necromancer said. "And I want to share it all with you."

"Me?" Hope asked, opening his eyes. His breath hitching when he saw the monster's face closed to his own.

The Necromancer nodded. "Under the Blue Moon, I will summon a new shell and then we will be together as one. I will wait for you."

"No you will not," A voice said behind the two, seething with rage.

Hope watched the Necromancer turned around before its face was smashed into the wall behind him by a fist full of knuckles. He was quickly hauled behind Snow who took a defensive stance between the two. "What is he doing here?" Hope heard Snow growl. He turned back to the Necromancer who backed away from the wall, fresh crimson blood dripping from its nose.

"It's blood." Hope blinked in surprise, his brows knitted together. Snow had hurt it. "How is it possible?" He turned back to Snow, seeing the ice-elemental attribute masked over Snow's gloved hands. "Snow... is that-"

"Magic," The Necromancer said, quickly fixing his nose with his own magic.

"Magic disrupts magic," Snow smirked. Titan was right. He had a hunch that this would work, using his own life energy like Hope had done before and convert it to magic.

"Impudent insect," The Necromancer's red eyes narrowed. "You think you can hurt me?"

"I'll make sure to leave a mark for touching Hope," Snow growled.

The Necromancer peered, exchanging gaze from the blond to the youth who was hiding for protection behind the older man. It appeared the boy and this man share something special between each other. But he was not going to let that happen.

Hope saw the mischief glinting in those red eyes when the sorcerer slowly sauntered towards them. Snow stood his ground, ready to fight. However, the man didn't make an attempt to move. Hope gulped air when the monster was only a foot away from Snow. "Snow? Now is a good time-"

"I can't... move," Snow growled, his voice straining.

"What?" Hope gasped, examining the man's body. Snow was tensed, his body shaking for control. He watched with widened eyes as Snow slowly began to levitate over the floor and pulled toward the Necromancer.

"You bastard! Let me go!" Snow seethed before he was slammed against the ceiling and down on the floor. He stifled a cry, feeling pain from his injuries from the previous battle coming back with a vengeance.

"You are a nuisance," The Necromancer said, picking the blond from the ground and propelled the man toward the wall behind him. The Necromancer had the blond pressed against the wall and was applying more force from his powers making the wall behind the man started to break apart. "You will only be a problem later." The Necromancer glared, summoning a force of magic in his other hand. He wanted to get rid of this player. This man will be a problem for him to get closer to the youth. It was better to put him out of his misery now than to save it for later.

Snow grunted feeling his chest being squeezed continuously into the wall behind him. He barely had managed the strength to open his eyes to see the pale, muscular figure's hands glowing an ominous blue light. He clenched his teeth, trying to fight back the power but couldn't. His body ached all over and he probably broke a rib or two. The inhumane creature then flexed his hand, releasing a burst of blue energy toward him.

The Necromancer smirked, but then his lips turned thin and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw the silver-haired teen stepped in front of the blond.

* * *

"So we're going back to Oerba?" Lightning asked looking around the conference room. She didn't want to leave yet. She still had business to deal with. Going back to Oerba and waiting were never her styles.

Rygdea nodded. "We have to inform the people of this seriousness."

"Going back would be nice," Sazh commented. He hadn't seen his son over a week, which he left in Snow's friends care. He knew his son was probably worried for him also.

Lightning sighed. She couldn't keep Sazh from his son this long. And she still had yet to report their research back to Bartholomew. Maybe this trip back home could give her the time to clear her thoughts. "So what's going to happen next?" She asked.

"We have to put a halt to any projects outside of the city until that thing is dead. School will be closed on Cocoon and any transportation between the two worlds will need to slow down for now." Rygdea said.

"The people will not like-"" Lightning gasped like the other occupants in the room, holding on to the chair's handles when the room suddenly shook after an explosion rang through the air.

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

**A/N: Bonjour y'all. I hope this chapter wasn't too choppy. I didn't get much time to read through it again, so if you see any mistakes, please let me know. Also I would like to know your thoughts on the story so far?**

**Please Review! I'm dying for attention here...**


	7. A World Forever Detached

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Square-Enix!**

**Warning: Contain Yaoi!**

**Pairing: SnowxHope!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: A World Forever Detached**

Bartholomew briskly walked through the maze of corridors on the Lindblum, coming to the medic room. He stopped, panting when he saw Lightning, Snow and Sazh with his son standing outside of a room. The pink-haired soldier was bracing against the wall, eyes closed with her hands folded against her chest. The woman had her thoughts somewhere else at the moment. Snow was standing facing a wall, shirtless with only bandages covering his entire chest and shoulders. The man had his temple pressing against the cold wall which seemed to suffered a few dented marks that shaped in a form a fist. It was Sazh who first noticed his presence. "Where is he?" Bartholomew asked eagerly. This seemed to caught the other's attention.

"He is in the room. The doctor is with him checking his condition at the moment," Sazh informed the older man.

"The damn doctor wouldn't let us see him," Snow growled, furiously. The doctor was talking some bullshit about he couldn't give outsiders other than the family relative permissions to see the patient. What the Fuck! He was Hope's lover for fucking sake.

"What happened here?" Bartholomew asked, exchanging gaze between the three former l'Cie. He had received a call from the Lindblum of a monster attack earlier this morning. However, he wasn't pleased to hear that his son was caught in the crossfire of the attack. As the large ship landed near the outskirts near Oerba, he quickly rushed to see his son. "I'm waiting," His eyes narrowed on each one of the former l'Cie.

"Well..." Snow trailed off, looking away. He clenched and unclenched his fist, not really ecstatic to remember what had happened.

**_Flashback_**

_A pair of azure orbs fluttered opened seeing a fog of darkness surrounding the room. The lights were off, but a stream of light was pouring through the doorway of the room. The door itself was resting comfortably in the hallway. Snow turned his gaze from the ceiling, looking around the room and he stopped frozen stiff when he saw Hope lying motionless and unconscious on the ground. A swirl of memories swept across his eyes. "Hope?" His voice strained when he called out. He quickly got up, wincing at a sudden sharp pain from his chest and shoulders. Snow struggled, growling at himself as he slowly got up on two feet before wobbling while holding his chest to his lover. He crouched down on his knees, picking the lithe body in his arms. He quickly searched for a pulse and relieved when he found one. Hope had stepped in between the necromancer and himself. However, the attack didn't hit Hope directly. He had saw it, the surprise and hesitation in those red eyes from that damn monster when Hope shielded him. That was the last thing Snow saw when a bright light engulfed the room._

_Snow touched Hope's face, stroking the chin tenderly. There were a few bruises on the pale skin. All that matter was that Hope was a alive. Then a footstep stepped out from the darkness and Snow's eyes quickly moved his gaze from Hope to the figure approaching them. The pale-skinned sorcerer was standing behind of him with the same surprise look still on its face. Snow glared, feeling anger swelling within his chest._

_"I don't understand. Why did he?" The sorcerer asked, staring perplexed and scared of the boy in the man's arms._

_Snow would like to know that too. He tightened his hold around his lover. Why did Hope had to gone and do that? Snow gently placed his lover on the floor before quickly swinging around, his fingers tightened into a fist. However, the surprised expression on the necromancer's face turned into a scowl as a hand shot up, gripping his fist before he was thrown halfway across the room like a ragged doll. The pain at his upper body multiplied and his visions were becoming blurry. He got up, clutching his chest trying to take deep breaths._

_"Hope! Snow!" Lightning called out._

_Snow turned to woman who suddenly appeared at the doorway with her gunblade unsheathed. The female soldier was carrying a worried expression as she glanced around the crumble room. The woman's eyes widened in shock when she noticed Hope lying on the floor. Then those eyes looked up to him next, filled with concern and anguish before turning fierce, seething with rage as it finally saw the unwanted guest in the room._

_"You!" Lightning snapped, pointing her gunblade to the necromancer as more feet seemed to gather at the doorway behind the soldier._

_"Snow, what happened?" Sazh asked, glancing around the room._

_The Necromancer glanced between the woman, the people behind her, and the teen on the floor. It appeared there was not much to do now that he had already conveyed his message. "Until the Blue Moon..." He muttered, summoning a spell around his feet._

_Snow raised a brow when a large and weird crest appeared around the sorcerer's feet. The crest started glow an ominous red light which got brighter. In an instant, the red light disappeared and so did the enemy. "Where did it go?" Snow heard Lightning muttered, looking around the room of any trace of the sorcerer. It was gone and with Hope's safety assured, Snow felt all his strength disappeared as he fell on the floor before the world turned to darkness around him._

_End of Flashback_

* * *

"So that was the gist what happened," Snow exclaimed or remembered since he had awoken on a bed a few hours ago in the sick bay, his body salved with anesthesia and wrapped in white bandages before searching for his Hope.

Bartholomew took a moment to soak in all the details he just hear. He had received news of this monster from Rygdea and it sounded like an old folklore, but after hearing this new development and the condition of his son, he didn't get much choice to accept this new threat. "And this Blue Moon? What's going to happen then?" He asked.

"The damn thing said he was coming back for Hope," Snow growled possessively. He will be damn if let that thing lays a finger on Hope.

"Why Hope?" Bartholomew asked, raising a skeptical brow.

"It seems it had develop an infatuation of your son," Sazh informed him.

A frown suddenly appeared on Bartholomew's face. "What do you mean?"

"It's like Sazh said, this monster has an interest with Hope. That is why it was on the ship. It was after Hope," Lightning restated.

Bartholomew sighed wearily. How did things escalate to this? He knew he should've stop his son when he left Oerba a few days. Now he had to take more precaution around his son to assure his well-being. Then the door of the medical room slid open and a blond-haired men in his thirty, dressed in a white suit under a large white coat with a stethoscope over his shoulders, stepped out the room with a clipboard in his hand. Bartholomew only gave the man a glance before he was in front the doctor.

"How is my son?" Bartholomew asked, his voice dripping with concern. The doctor glanced around the hallway, eying the occupants in the hallway who held the same look before turning to him.

"He is fine and expected to make a full recovery," The doctor said, seeing everyone releasing a breath of air they were holding in. "However, there is some complications."

"Wait! What?" Snow asked, his eyes widened in fear.

"What complications?" Bartholomew asked hurriedly.

"Your son is suffering from the amnesia," The doctor said with a little hint of concern in his voice.

"What?" Snow gasped just like the others in the hallway. He clenched his finger into a fist, trying to control himself from panicking. It felt like he'd been punched in the gut. This must be a lie or a prank.

"I believe the incident yesterday had caused a head trauma. Incredibly, there was no signs of injuries," The doctor said in a more lighter tone.

"How serious of a memory lost are we talking about?" Bartholomew asked, his voice turning serious.

"About five months, I guess. I asked him a few questions and his answers seemed to coincide about that time. He couldn't be-" The doctor was unable to speak when two strong arms grabbed him from the collar of his shirt and shoved him against the wall.

"Five months! Are you fucking kidding me?" Snow cursed, glaring at the man in white. The pain was evidently laced in his voice. He didn't for a moment believe what he just heard. Was all the time he spent Hope all gone, erased into the winds? Did Hope even know who he is anymore? He refused to believe it. Everything up until this point, one more time... He couldn't possibly make up for everything that happened for the past months. He couldn't go and do it all again. His life would never be the same without his Hope. "You better fix this!"

"Y-you can't fix a-amnesia," The doctor said nervously in fear of his life while staring in a pair of angry and heartbreaking blue eyes. Those eyes held murder inside of them. "The amnesia usually fix themselves before treated."

"Snow, calm down," Lightning said, walking before the blond, placing a comfortable hand on the large man's shoulder. The blond gave her a glare but she only returned it with a reassured expression. "Everything will be alright," The man then reluctantly let go the doctor and stepped back as the doctor fixed his shirt.

"Can we see him?" Bartholomew requested.

"Sure, but what about them?" The doctor eyed the others in the hallway.

"They are family," Bartholomew only stated, seeing the doctor raising a puzzled brow.

"Alright, his memory for now is a bit spotty, but I ask each and one of you try to keep the information at a minimum. We don't want to overwhelm him too much. He will recognized and noticed things, but it's your job to tell him what they are. Don't lie to him. Everything you will told him must only be the truth," The doctor advised, gaining nods among the hallway.

* * *

The world was making much sense the moment when Hope awoke with a throbbing headache. He was lying on a bed, clad in only a blue hospital gown and a few a bandages around him hands and head. It looked like he was in the sort of a hospital, but when he glanced out at the window, he saw sight he never seen before. There was a village along a shore under reconstruction. It didn't look like anything remotely near Palumpolum or something on Cocoon. Everything was confusing, he didn't understand where he was, and he wanted see his parents. A doctor then had came in the room a while later and checked his condition. He wanted to ask him some questions but he had to hold them until later. The only things he received from the doctor were two aspirins and a glass of cold water to cure the abrasive pounding at the side of his head.

Hope's eyes snapped towards the door once again when he heard the doorknob turned. The door opened and his face brightened when he saw his father stepped in the room, followed by a set of unfamiliar faces. They all held a worried look on their face. "Dad!" He called out happily.

"Hope! Thank god you're safe," Bartholomew said, rushing quickly to his son's side. He studied Hope's face, seeing that no injuries had befallen the boy.

"Ummm... what's going on?" Hope asked, giving his father a confused a look before glancing around to each of unknown faces around the room. It was a bit unnerving. "And who are these people here?" With that said, Hope saw the blond-haired man, who was covered in bandages also, stiffened. The man was looking for him at some time with a miserable look on his face which made his inside stirs. The blond had his hands clenched into a fist, trying to control himself.

"These are your friends," Bartholomew gestured to people behind him, but gained a puzzled stare from Hope.

"You don't recognize us at all," The blond-haired man said, giving Hope a pitiful look.

Hope felt his heart cringe from the man's sad gaze, shaking his head. He sensed something weird in his chest seeing these people but at the time he couldn't believe that these people were his friends? The two men didn't look age friendly and the pink-haired woman was carrying the same strict face like his English teacher. He had always thought it was cool when the older student from a higher grade talked to him, but now this was just down right weird. What world did he wake up to?

"I'm Snow and this is Lightning," Snow introduced." And that man over there is Sazh and his son, Dajh."

"We're really friends?" Hope asked, raising a doubtful brow.

"I know it's hard to stomach, but a lot have changed," Lightning spoke.

"What do you mean?" Hope inquired, looking around the room.

"Hope, what is the last thing you remember?" Bartholomew asked carefully.

"We..." Hope took a moment to contemplate on his thoughts. "We were planning the trip to see the fireworks, but you said that you cannot go because of work." He informed his father as a pout formed on his lips, remembering the last part.

"Hope that was five months ago," Bartholomew said, seeing a pair of green orbs widened in surprise and confusion. "You have amnesia."

"H-How..."

Bartholomew exchanged stare with the three ex-l'Cie. He nodded, receiving nods among the room. He scratched the back of his head. He didn't know where to start? "Well.."

"Let me tell him!" Snow quickly interjected Bartholomew, approaching the bed. He received a calculated look on the others before nodding. If anyone was going to tell Hope what had happened, it would be him. He pulled up a chair beside the bed, seeing a pair of confused light-emerald orbs staring at him. Those eyes were hesitant, searching into his eyes for answers. "I know what I'm going to tell you will be hard to believe," Snow reassured, but the boy only stared at him before receiving a curtly nod. "It all started over three months ago when Fang and Vanille awake..." Snow began.

* * *

"We believe the cause of the amnesia was a head trauma during the attack," Snow finished. He, however, tried to keep his feeling in check when he chose to leave out some sensitive informations and one of them was his relationship with Hope.

Hope remained quiet, digesting everything he just heard. The Purge? Becoming a l'Cie? Saving Cocoon? And now living on Gran Pulse? The very world they called hell. And then the attack yesterday from a monster? All of it were a bit overwhelming to swallow down. To add to his confusion, he felt weird. When he looked at these faces around him, he knew he could trust these people, especially the blond-haired man beside him. Everything about this man seemed to stand out more; his expression, his gesture and his feature. And he didn't know why he was noticing all of these things. All of this thinking was making his headache earlier come back with a vengeance.

"Is everything okay, Hope?" Snow asked worriedly, seeing the contemplated look on his lover's face.

"All of this sound too much," Hope responded, looking down.

"We understand. All of this would come as a shock five months ago," Lightning said. This boy lying on the bed was not the same silver-haired teen she met the Hanging Edge. The Hope she knew wasn't as naive, insecure and sensitive as before. He had become more straightforward in his speech and more control over his emotions. He shown a sense of honor and comfort to his friends, giving them words of encouragement and wisdom while remaining positive during a negative situation. Ultimately, the teen had lived up to his name.

"Don't think about it for now. Just get our rest. We can talk later," Bartholomew insisted, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. He gently ran his hand through his son's hair.

"Ummm... well... There is something I wanted to ask?" Hope asked, looking around the room. Something else seemed to be missing.

"What is it?" Bartholomew inquired, blinking.

"Where is_ mom_?"

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

**A/N: What's going to happen next? I don't have a clue O_o It's final examen for the next two weeks and I can't think so bite me.**

**I promised something was going to happen to either Hope and Snow and here it is. Like I said, there will a two side story for the next 2-3 chapters and for this main plot, I chose Hope's path. I am still considering writing about Snow's path as an extra at the end, but it's optional.**

Also, if you hadn't read _Ratio_ from **the-true-Freya**, please do. She shipped SnowxHope also and have some amazing ideas for this pairing.

**Please Review! I need them to keep myself from going crazy for the next two weeks!**


	8. A World So Changed

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Square-Enix!**

**Warning: Contains Yaoi!**

**Pairing: SnowxHope!**

**It's SUMMER BREAK! Meaning more free time to write... I hope :P **

**Reviews motivate me more to write...**

* * *

**Chapter 8: A World So Changed  
**

"_Where is mom?"_

Hope watched as everyone, except for the little afro-haired boy beside his father, flinched as the room turned ominously pale. Then they avoided his gaze, looking away with a wretched expression on their faces. The only answer he got was a long silence. Hope swallowed down a large knot, looking around desperately to each face in the room for some kind of response. "Ummm... Dad? Where is mom?"

"Hope..." Snow called out, but stopped himself. He couldn't voice the emotion flowing inside of him. He saw those beautiful green orbs glanced towards him, looking so afraid, innocent, and young. He avoided his gaze away from those green gems. He couldn't bear to see Hope broken and weak.

Hope shifted his gaze back to his father, meeting his father's eyes. They were signs of loneliness and despair in them. The man wasn't saying anything. No one in the room were. He then felt a cold, growing dreadful sensation, knotting and unknotting, in his gut that something bad had happened. He could see it in each one of their eyes, the anguish and the sorrow. "Dad, where is mom?" Hope choked out.

"Hope... Nora is gone," Bartholomew admitted, his fingers clenching around the sheets and his eyes stung.

A pair of light-jaded orbs widened in disbelief, the words sending a cold tremor down his spine. Hope could feel his body slowly started to shake. His father didn't lie to him. He looked around, looking lost and confused. He opened his mouth, but couldn't form words to convey from the terrible feeling of someone squeezing his heart to death. His mom was only with him the other day, so what happened? His father enclosed his two arms around, pulling him into an embrace. "M-mom is g-gone," His voice trembled against his father's chest.

"She died while protecting the Purge fugitives," Bartholomew murmured, tightening his hold around his son.

"B-but s-she was there a m-moment ago," Hope's voice hiccuped against his father's chest, shaking his head in denial.

"She was," Bartholomew said soothingly. He felt the same wave of pain and grief reflected in Hope's eyes. The hiccups turned to a soft sobs, wracking the slim figure, contorting it and depriving it of air. There was an empty hole inside his chest when his wife died, leaving him and Hope alone in the world. However, if they stuck together, they will eventually move on. But that wasn't enough to dwell the long and aching agony he kept bottled up at the back of his heart. He knew this was something Hope would not accept easily. The boy was, after all, closer and held more respect to his wife than any person in this world. Hope was everything his mother was; carefree and spirited. It didn't take a genius to distinguish and know that the pair was obviously mother and son.

Snow felt his heart rip at the sight. He promised himself to never let a teardrop flow down Hope's face ever and yet, his Hope was in pain and he couldn't do anything to ease his lover's discomfort. It had been three months and yet Snow still could not shake off the image of a silver-haired woman dying in his hand. He had failed as a hero to save an innocent life. And how it haunted him.

* * *

"How did it come this?" Bartholomew muttered to himself. He and the others were back standing, brooding over their thoughts, in the hallway after leaving Hope to rest. He had lost his wife and now his son was in danger. Was his family cursed or something? What did his family done to deserve this?

"So what do we do now? And we don't know when is this Blue Moon?" Snow asked. He needed plans and goals, which included his young lover's safety.

"The Blue Moon will be upon us in a couple of weeks," Bartholomew informed the others, gaining their attention. "You guys don't know what is a Blue Moon?" His brow knitted together while giving the others a curious looks. The trio looked among themselves before shaking their head. "It's a rare occurrence; a full moon which only comes once every two to three years."

"But isn't there a full moon every month?" Snow asked skeptically.

"That is because we adopted the new calendar," Bartholomew said. "Before Cocoon was constructed, the people before followed the lunar years. There are three moons in each calendar year, however, there are roughly eleven more days extra when accumulated every two to three years, which gained an extra full moon, hence the Blue Moon."

"And they don't teach us this in school why?" Snow asked, raising a brow.

"Because any knowledge of Pulse or related to Pulse were rejected on Cocoon. How we see Pulse was our only imagination crafted from the will of Cocoon fal'Cie. Pulse was a disease and the Purge was the people's justification and security to clean and stop the infestation from spreading," Sazh muttered, gaining an approval nod from Bartholomew. His son was sitting on his shoulders, playing with the baby chocobo in his hair.

"We were truly blinded from terror to question our fear. We clung to fal'Cie for everything, even for our hopes and dreams," Lightning grumbled. When people smelled fear, they turned to the fal'Cie, however, when that support was shattered only madness and chaos left in it's wake. She wondered who was worst: the fal'Cie or the people?

"Which is why we have to work harder," Snow said confidently.

"For now, our priorities are the Necromancer. We got some time to formulate a plan to deal with that creep," Sazh said then a vibrating sound broke through the air.

All eyes turned to Bartholomew who reached into his pocket, pulling out a pager. The man sighed, glaring at the electronic device. Work was calling him. It looked like he was not going to stay beside his son as he had hoped.

"I'll stay here with Hope," Snow declared or reassured. The last thing he wanted was for Hope to be alone and lost. And Bartholomew already had his hands full with work.

"Okay," Lightning and Sazh said in simultaneously, nodding. Then she with Sazh and his son took their leave, walking down the hallway.

Bartholomew approached his son's boyfriend and placed a comfortable hand on the blond's right shoulder. "Thanks," He said sincerely.

"He will regain his memories?" Snow asked, giving the older man a pair of hopeful azure eyes.

"Let's hope so," Bartholomew said, forcing a smile on his face. He walked passed the blond, but stopped and turned around. "I'll almost forget. A sets of aero bike arrived the other day. I order two aside for you and your friends."

Snow's face split into a smile. "Really..."

* * *

It felt like a day later when Hope's eyes stirred open as reality around him kept pulling him away out of his slumber. There was a strange feeling of comfort and safely looming in the air. His eyes snapped opened before closing them immediately when they protested against the light of the room. As he slowly opened his eyes once again to adjust to the surrounding, they widened in shock when he saw Snow's face inches away from him. Hope instinctively shot up, his heart beating wildly as he tried to distance himself away from the man only to realize one of the blond's hand were firmly intertwined around his right palm. He blinked confusedly at Snow who was seated on a chair beside the bed; his entire body slouched on the bed in a deep sleep. Hope's eyes drifted around the infirmary's room looking for a more familiar face, but his father wasn't in sight. He heard a grumble sound and his eyes shifted back to blond beside of him. Hope studied the man's face, seeing a calm and peaceful expression. Was the man sleeping here all the time? He glanced back to his hand which were encased in Snow's grasp. Snow's hand felt large... and warm around his little hand and it made his stomach fluttered like a swarm of butterflies.

"Ummm... Snow?" Hope called out, trying to slip his palm out from Snow's grasp, but the hold was too strong.

"Mmmm... _Babe_, don't go!" Snow slurred in his sleep.

Hope paused. Was Snow dreaming about his girlfriend? He tugged his palm harder, but it ended with Snow's eyes fluttering open. The man looked at him with a daze expression before blinking away the fogginess to get his senses fully awake.

"You're awake," Snow smiled, stretching the stiffness from his back.

"Where is dad?" Hope asked, giving the man a pleading look.

"Your dad stepped out for a moment. He has a lot of work to do," Snow informed, seeing Hope's face fell. "I know what you are thinking," He said, gaining a suspicious look from his lover. "But don't be mad at him. A lot of people are depending on your father right now."

"I guess after everything that had happened," Hope agreed. His father was working hard, rebuilding the people lives. And one of those lives was his life. He knew for a fact that his father wouldn't be there when he needed all the time. It was a little sacrifice he had to bear. Then the emptiness crept in his heart remembering what his father told him. He silently stared at the sheets covering his form. His mother wasn't in this world anymore and he wouldn't see her ever again.

"Hope?"

Hope's eyes drifted to blond who was watching him worriedly. He turned his sight away, wiping away the tears that was slowly starting cloud his vision. "I'm fine."

A pair of blue gems didn't waver from his young lover. Hope was in this state because of him. He had gotten Nora involved at the Vestige and in the end, the woman had died for his reckless cause. Hope was the one who had paid the price, not him. If there was anything Snow could change, it would be the past. If anyone who should die that day, it should be him. But he was given a second chance because of a brave and courageous woman. And all he could do now was to make a better future for the woman's son where the teen could never feel lonely again.

The room fell into an unsettling silent as Hope tried to compose himself from breaking. He looked at everything except the blond and then his eyes fell on the bathroom which was on the other side the infirmary when he made a dreadful discovery. He had been cooped up in bed for two days and his bladder wouldn't hold out long enough. "Ummm..." He fiddled with fingers embarrassingly.

"Yes?"

"I...I need to use the bathroom," Hope said, not meeting Snow's eyes. Then the blanket was pulled off of him and he yelped surprisingly when he was lifted up bridal-style in Snow's arms. Hope blushed furiously, feeling the heat radiating the blond seeping through the thin hospital gown, almost rubbing against his skin. He had never been this close to everyone in his life before.

Snow grinned when he saw the cute and yet adorable expression across his lover's face. Hope was bashfully looking away, avoiding his gaze. He knew he have to be patient and tolerant until his Hope returned. Before his mind could provoke nasty images in his head, Snow opened the bathroom's door, finally placing Hope on his bare feet on the cold floor. "Can you manage on your own?" He asked, receiving a nod before leaving the room and closing the door. He waited outside, hearing a trickling sound as Hope relieved himself and then followed by the toilet flushing. His name was called hesitantly and he entered back the bathroom, seeing Hope leaning against the sink. He approached the teen, leaning down a bit and placing both of his hands under Hope's thighs before lifting the lithe figure up. He smirked seeing the teen wrapping his arm around his neck for support. He walked back not too hurriedly to the bed, just to appreciate the sight before placing the teen on the mattress. "Need anything else?"

Hope suppressed raising a brow. He could almost see the dog's ears and the wagging tail, eagerly waiting for a response. Then his stomach grumbled like it hadn't been fed for weeks. "I am... kind of hungry."

* * *

Hope spent the next three days in bed, much of his displeasure. He felt useless lying in bed all day, but it was the doctor's order. His father regularly visited in the morning and evening alone. He always hoped he would see his mother walking through the door, but she never came. His mother was always there beside of him smiling and watching him, and now she wasn't. It took a while but it slowly started to sink in as much he tried to ignore it. His mother was really gone. This wasn't a dream. He was a motherless and a single-parent child now.

He needed a distraction and thankfully he found it in Snow's company. He found it weird that Snow never left his side and much weirder that the man knew his preferred coffee. Snow knew him like a book and it had left him baffled. The man was always grinning with that cocky smile on his face which he had slowly come to fancy. Under all of those expressions, there was something reaching out to him and his brain was sending him warning signals, but he couldn't make heads of it all. It like there was a hole in his chest and he did not know what to do to fix it.

The blond later had introduced him to a gang, which the man led around. When did Hope, an honor student, became friends with juveniles? As sketchy they may appeared, they were actually friendly and kind to him and treated him special... like he was part of family. Snow's company was becoming endearing and infectious to him and he didn't want to lose it. He only wished that he could remember them.

The next day the doctor had released him after his last check-up. His father had returned that afternoon with a clean set of clothes before leaving the ship with his father and Snow. The first thing he saw was Cocoon in a distance, securely supported by a massive crystal pillar entrenched on the surface of Pulse. The sight of made his inside jerk seeing what they had done to their home. But Snow had reassured him that it was a course they had to take to save millions of lives.

As he looked around this new village under construction, Hope wondered what kind of future waited for him in this world. There was a strange, stirring feeling in his chest. He could feel his heart tremble in fear and excitement. He then felt a comforting hand on his right shoulder. He turned to his right and saw Snow looking at him with sympathy. For some bizarre reason, Hope felt at ease.

* * *

"Hope, you're wake?" A voice called out, knocking on the door.

Hope groaned as a pair of light-emerald orbs fluttered open to be greeted by the sight of a run-down room, which he wasn't accustomed as yet. He was lying on a single-twin bed, which he oddly found to be very spacious. He rose up on his elbows and turned around, hoping for a strange reason to see someone lying there beside of him, but no one was there. Something was missing and he couldn't place his tongue on it. It felt lonely in this world where everything was strangely disoriented and there was this itch all over his skin. It wasn't the kind of itch that you wanted to scratch, but it made his a bit restless.

"Hope, your breakfast is getting cold if you don't wake up," Bartholomew's voice rang from the other side of the door.

"I'll be down in a second," Hope replied, throwing the blanket off of him and dragged himself the adjoining bathroom to begin his morning ritual for the day ahead. Ten minutes later, he lumbered down the stairs, rubbing the sleep still in his eyes. He walked into the kitchen and saw his father who was already in his work mode. The man had his eyes in a stack of papers while in the process reaching for a coffee cup once every other minute. His face fell getting a weird sensation in his chest that made it unbearable to breath. He would always wake up to find his mother in the kitchen. He didn't understand this new pace. "So..."

Bartholomew looked up from the piles of paper in his hand to his son who was standing, leaning against the counter while stirring the coffee in a cup. He raised a brow. "Yes?"

"What do I do now?" Hope asked curiously.

"School is closed due to a state of emergency," Bartholomew informed his son, his eyes shifting back to the papers.

"You mean the monster that attack?" Hope inquired, receiving a grumbled sound from his father.

"I have to go to work in a minute. You could come or you prefer staying with one of Snow's friend?" Bartholomew questioned. "It's your choice?"

Hope pondered for a brief moment, biting his lower lip, becoming nervous. "What about Snow? Can't I stay with him? He is... nice to be around with," He supplied. Other than his father, Snow was the next person who he feels he could trust. The blond spent the past four days by his side, aiding him in his recovery. It made Hope feel happy that someone cared so much about him.

"Of course he is nice. He is your boyfriend after all," Bartholomew said dryly, his eyes never leaving the paper while taking a sip from his coffee. He flinched hearing a coffee cup crashed onto the floor. His eyes snapped towards Hope who was standing like a statue with his eyes opened wide from shock trying to form words in his mouth.

"W-what?"

"You don't..." Bartholomew paused, his face going blank as he processed the shocking expression on Hope's face. Hope then shook his head, staring at him with those wide and disbelief green orbs. "Shit!" He cursed, realizing what he just said.

"S-Snow is my b-boyfriend?" Hope spluttered and half-shouted, confusion, surprise and denial covered his face.

Bartholomew stood up and guided Hope to a chair before the boy fainted from shock. He sighed, scratching the back of his head, seeing those green orbs confused and trying to grasp on reality. It appeared that damage control was in order. "Yeah, he is. You and him have been together for over three months. He made you happy and that is all that matter." He muttered.

"You're serious!" Hope stared at his father like the man had grown six heads on his shoulders. The man was looking at him sincerely and didn't seem to be bothered with it. First his mother was gone, but that wasn't the tip of the iceberg of shocking revelation since he awoke in the infirmary on the ship. Now he was in a relationship with a man. He looked down on the wooden table, his mind running in circles. Was this the reason Snow never left his side in bed? Why didn't Snow say anything earlier? And when for a fact was he gay? Well he could answer the last one due to his lack of interest in finding a partner and not exploring his sexuality. He never dated before, yet alone getting his first kiss. So how did it happen? His heart for sure wasn't ready to accept the idea of dating a man, an older man to be exact. As he thought about it, the teen couldn't shake off the image of the blond smiling at him in his head. Then Hope blushed, remembering what the blond said in his sleep. Snow wasn't dreaming about a girl. The man was thinking about him. He jumped suddenly when he heard knocks on the door.

"That must be Snow," Bartholomew said.

"What?" Hope yelled hysterically, his heart starting to beat wildly in his chest. He, for once, was not ready to see the blond yet. He did not have the conviction to face Snow after hearing that the man was his boyfriend. Then his condition only worsens when he saw his father walking to the door. He watched with wide eyes while the second ticked away as his father reached for the front door.

"I'm leaving for work. If you want to come to the office, ask-" Bartholomew paused when he heard footsteps fleeing up the stairs followed by the door closing shut. He sighed amused. Hope was going to dig his own grave with this one. He opened the door and as expected, Snow was there.

_To Be Continued_...


	9. A World Seeking Peace

**Chapter 9: A World Seeking Peace**

Hope ran. He didn't know what to do or how to feel? He fled to his room and into the compact bathroom before shutting the door. He braced against the door, his heart beating wildly. Everything was happening too quickly. He was terrified. He was afraid of what he would feel when he sees Snow in this new light. Nothing appeared to be out of ordinary when he was told him that the man was his friend, but the circumstance now had changed. He could distinguish hearing some faint voices before a pair of feet started to climb the stairs to his room.

"Hope?" Hope flinched, perceiving Snow's voice. The feet then approached closer on the other side of the door followed by a few light knocks on the door. "Hope? Are you in there?"

"Ummm...y-yes," Hope replied reluctantly.

"Are you going to come out?" Snow asked, his voice teasing.

"Ummm..." Hope said hesitantly. He could hear his heartbeat vibrating against the walls in the small bathroom. He clenched and unclenched his fingers into a fist before letting out a sigh. Snow wasn't showing any signs of leaving. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves as he reached for the doorknob, opening the door.

"What's up?" Snow asked with a smile, but Hope didn't make any comment nor met his gaze. He raised a questionable brow when he saw the teen acting very bashfully. The boy was squirming, his head tilted downward, trying not meet his gaze. "Hope, is everything-" Snow said, placing his hand under the teen's chin before directing Hope's face to meet his eyes. Snow blinked, seeing the blush and docile expression. He swallowed hard; his fingertips began to itch him. His stomach fluttered, sensing his pulse starting to increase. "So what do you want to do? Your father has already left," Snow inquired, looking away and trying to control himself before a mishap could accidentally spout out of nowhere.

"I-is there anything I could do? If school is closed, then what else do I do?" Hope demanded, noticing Snow becoming uncomfortable standing beside him. He, for once, didn't want to stay home and the same went for staying with his dad. He will just become restless doing nothing. Then Snow's face split into a smile before gesturing to follow him down the stairs. His feet reluctantly followed the blond out of the house, pulling the door closed. Why could he not resist that smile on the blond's face?

* * *

The sun was glaring brightly and the ocean breeze felt cool and refreshing. Hope glanced around seeing everyone so intent with some sort of task. Snow then swung an arm over his shoulders, and he tensed feeling his little heart jumping up and down in his chest as the man barreling him down the street. He looked around frantically out of fear, but no one seemed to be bothered by the man display of public affection. If anything, the people would think that he was crazy for being so tense. They walked through a courtyard before going down a street leading down a ramp. They came to a standstill when Snow stopped at the corner in front a building before pushing open the door, hearing a bell chimed.

"Well look what the cat drag in?" A female voice giggled.

Hope's light-emerald gems fell to the woman when stepped into the building what looked like something between a diner and a bar. A woman was sitting on a stool with her left legs crossed over her right while making some notes in a notebook. She was the same person who Snow had introduced as one of their friends when he was bedridden the past few days.

"Morning Lebreau. I brought your little helper," Snow asked cheerfully, approaching the woman.

"You're late. The Gadot and Yuj already left," Lebreau scolded, folding the notebook before taking it and tapped it against the blond's temple.

Snow's blue gems turned to the clock resting on the wall behind the bar. It read 9:30 a.m. He was late for work all right. He scratched his head sheepishly and turned to silver-haired teen who was quiet since they had left the house.

Hope yelped when Snow swept him off his feet and placed him gently on one of the stool near the bar, leveling his gaze with a pair of intense blue gems. His heart quivered for some odd reason as all of the blood in his body rushed to his cheeks from the close proximity of the blond's face. "I'm going to leave you here for now. I'll be back when I'm finished with work," Hope nodded unconsciously. He was only staring, mesmerized, at the warm and comforting smile on Snow's face a few inches away from his face while trying to suppress his beating heart. "Good," Snow said, ruffling those soft silver locks. The man gave the woman behind the bar counter an acknowledged nod before walking to the door. He stopped as he reached the door and turned around. "I'll be back when I'm done."

Hope could feel his body's reaction quelling down after he was left alone with the brunette in the bar. Why does the man make him feel like that? He didn't understand this new bound feelings and it was making him crazy. The feeling was so intense that it almost makes his skin melt, but the sensation was also strong, making his heart trembles in fear. He felt the woman's presence behind him lean against the counter on her elbows. He glanced to the figure, trying to look as indifferent as ever. The woman was smiling while carrying a smug expression on her face. He returned back his gaze to the front door. His brain was still in the process of digesting the idea of him and Snow together as boyfriends. However, the man didn't appear to have a single gay bone in him. Snow's just as straight as they come. So how did it come to this?

"I-is it true?" Hope asked, gulping down a knot down his throat. He could feel the heat coming back to his cheeks. "That we're umm... y-you know?" He stammered at the end.

"Boyfriends."

Hope nodded meekly, the woman beating him to the punch.

"Did Snow tell you that?"

Hope shook his head. He found it weird that Snow didn't mention anything. If Snow was supposed to his boyfriend, why hasn't the blond said anything yet? "My dad did. He said that we've been dating for a while." He answered.

"Are you surprised?"

"Surprise? Surprise is not the close enough to describe what I'm feeling!" Hope said frantically. He hopped off the counter and stared at the ground, trying to decipher all the weird fluttering emotions inside of him. He felt scared, excited and happy. All at once.

"Do you hate it? Those feelings inside of you?"

"I-I..." Hope paused, bashfully scuffing his shoes together. "I don't know. But Snow isn't gay?"

"Gay, straight or whatever. It just labels. However, that wouldn't change the fact that he loved you... more than anything in the world." Lebreau said with a friendly smile, walking to the back to start on her morning's preparation. She had known Snow for as long as she could remember and she had never seen her blond-haired friend so happy in his life when it came to Hope.

"I know that," Hope whispered to himself with a permanent blush on his face. He walked into the kitchen where the woman was busying herself with work. "What is he like?"

"You mean Snow?" Lebreau stopped in her task and turned to silver-haired teen who nodded. With the amnesia, she speculated at first that Hope wasn't going to be too keenly to idea of a relationship with Snow and here she was, trying to stop herself from smiling happily to see Hope at least pursuing Snow a little. How wrong she was. "Well you should know," She answered wickedly. "You guys kept your relationship very private."

"How private?"

"Screwing around like bunnies... or so I heard from Snow," Lebreau smirked, seeing an expression of total disbelief in Hope's face. The boy just stood there, unmoving while staring at her with that tomato face. Maybe she could be a little subtle in her speech other than being so direct. Then the door opened as someone stepped in.

"Good morning, are you opening?" An early riser asked.

"Yes," Lebreau answered. Shee walked to the motionless teen before handing him the notebook. "Here take it and ran up the customer order. Not much towards it," She advised, seeing the boy snap out from his thoughts and glanced at her confusingly. "Don't think too much about what I say before, just go take the customer order."

Hope stared at the notebook before he reluctantly took the notebook and stepped into the bar where a middle-aged woman was waiting. The woman gave her order and he wrote it down. Simple as that. Before he knew it, the sun was approaching its descent over the sky. The shadows had stretched out. The morning had turned to afternoon. He was in the kitchen, drying off the wet dishes with a dry cloth. The day went by fast and he was grateful for the work to distract his thoughts from thinking about-

"Hi Snow!" Maqui cheered.

The words hit Hope so intensely that he nearly dropped a plate in his hands as his body tensed suddenly hearing Maqui in the lounge call Snow's name. His heart slowly quickened out of nowhere. He placed the plate down on the kitchen counter before peeking into the lounge.

"Hey Maqui! Helping Lebreau today?" The man standing over six feet asked, strolling towards bar counter.

The older teen nodded. "If you're looking for Hope..." Hope stiffened, seeing the spark glittering in those blue orbs. "He is in the back," Hope quickly returned back wiping the wet dishes, trying to look indifferent. His heart was pounding heavily with each seconds, waiting. A cardiac attack was about to come.

"Hi Hope!"

Hope tried to resist looking at the man, but he couldn't help control his eyes from swerving at that wide smile on Snow's face. A sudden and weird joy gradually swelled in his chest. Damn Hope, the man isn't doing anything and you already acting like a stupid girl!

"Are you finished here?" Snow asked ecstatically.

"I...ummm...plate...w-washing..." Hope mumbled over his words finding a frog in his throat.

"The kiddo can leave if he wants. He had done more than enough for today," Lebreau commented, walking into the kitchen, getting a customer order ready.

"W-what about the other customers?" Hope objected.

"Don't worry about it. Maqui and I can hold out until the bar closes."

"You hear the lady," Snow grinned, ushering the teen to the front door. The air was crisp as the day slowly turned to night. There was an overshadow of red covering the lively village as the civilians were making their way home after another tired and laborious day. Snow glanced from the corner of his eyes to teen beside him who was looking timidly away from him with a beautiful blush on his features. He scratched his head and turned his gaze to the red horizon. "It's still early. You want to walk around a bit?" Snow suggested.

Hope straightened, turning to the blond while trying to not look flustered. He fumbled with her fingers nervously; feeling the knot in his throat hadn't disappeared yet. "Umm... okay." He said, not meeting the blond's gaze.

* * *

An hour later, the two ex-l'cie found themselves standing over the overpass bridge. The bridge was halfway completed, trying to connect the two lands on the each side of the river. There were equipments and machineries left scattered around on the bridge to await tomorrow-continued construction. The bridge, however, wasn't lag sagging anymore after the construction team added more support beams. Snow leaned forward against the steel rails, taking in the sight before his eyes. There were a few small boats still in the water as the fishermen tried to reel in their final net before going home. There was also a few scraps and windmills still spinning and left untouched in the water.

"It's weird," Snow straightened and then his eyes shifted to the figure beside him, seeing Hope staring spellbind of Oerba being renovated. He could see the confusion and fear mirrored in those green orbs, trying to figure out everything around him. Hope wasn't still accustomed to this world yet.

"What is?" Snow asked carefully.

"This world; a world with no fal'Cie," Hope muttered. It was uncanny to see a world with no fal'Cie. On Cocoon, they were dependent on the fal'Cie for everything; food and energy. The fal'Cie had supplied their every needs, making their lives very comfortable. But now, all of that had changed. People are growing their own food and finding their own energy. All of it sounded like some disturb fantasy from a novel written by a very eccentric and deranged psychopath if it was on Cocoon.

"It's strange, yes. As you looked at it, it's not much to live by. But this is our new home now. A home where we can create with our own hands," Snow said, his eyes shifting back to the red sea and then across the horizon. "I want it to be peaceful no matter how long it takes. Every person in Oerba feels the same way, that's why we keep continuing and pushing forward, and then maybe we can achieve it. We're still a long way off from reaching peace, but eventually we will get there."

"It just... I never dream of ever seeing something like this," Hope said, giving the sky a long look. "I wish she could've see it."

Snow tensed, feeling his heart sunk when he saw the hurt and lonely expression his young lover's was carrying. He clenched his fingers into a fist as a set of mixed emotions flashed across his feature. "You mean your mother?"

"Yes," Hope murmured, his eyes downcast. "She is really gone, isn't she?" He then shifted his gaze back to Snow who was carrying the same upset and anguished look when he had mentioned about his mother earlier. "Did you know her?" The blond then slowly nodded. "Then you must've know how it-"

"Hope!" Snow interrupted the teen, feeling his heart tightened almost suffocating. He then took a deep breath. Hope will find out eventually and it wasn't right to keep the teen in the dark. "It was my fault."

Hope blinked, giving the blond a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"It was my fault. I put her in danger. She died because of me," Snow said, looking desolate. He saw those beautiful green orbs widened in fear, looking scared and hurt. He took a step forward and Hope took a step backward, shaking his head in denial. The gesture made him straighten up. The silver-haired teen continued taking more steps away from him and he just stood there, helplessly watching. Hope then took off, running away and he didn't do anything to stop the teen.

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

A/N: I hoped you guys love surprises ;)... because this update isn't it. Also Distant World is in Atlanta, GA this weekend and I went and saw it. It was awesome. If you like the ff music, then tried go to their events if they are somewhere in your neck of the wood. You will not regret it.

******Please review and you will get your surprise(s)!**  



	10. A World Achieved And Unfulfilled

**Chapter 10: A World Achieved And Unfulfilled**

Lightning grumbled, walking down the road to the construction site during this lazy afternoon. After a month away from the village, she was hoping to spend some quality time with Serah before her work called her off to some distant and unknown land. As fate may have it, her unwanted expectation came into light when a Cavalry soldier visited to her house earlier this morning. The soldier had informed that Mr. Estheim had requested her presence. The female soldier only let out a tired sigh. It was only a matter of time.

Lightning stopped in her track when she reached near the construction site by Overpass Bridge. She took in the scene before her. Men and women were bustling around, carrying lumbers, steel materials, and cargo boxes over their shoulders. Some were on top of house, fixing and hammering away the roof. Others were in-group, planning and making projects. It made her heart tremble with hope seeing everyone finding his or her way and role in this world. She felt a little comfort in her future seeing the people not giving up hope. Every soul had a role to play and she had her own too, which was protecting those she cared about. The people had survived a terrible fate before and Lightning made a promise to herself to not let a human suffered again. She continued down the road, coming before a small office building before giving the door a few alarming knocks.

"Come in." Bartholomew's voice said.

Lightning opened the front door and walked into the office. She paused for a brief moment to look around the room. The desk, which was covered in mountains of paper, was barely holding up on its wooden legs. Behind the papers, Bartholomew was sitting in his chair, looking dead exhausted, his face staring at a paper, which he was holding in his hands. There were dark circles under Bartholomew's eyes, but the fatigue didn't seem to point toward the stack of papers on the table. "You call, sir!" Lightning stated, breaking the man's focus from the paper before shifting his eyes to her.

"Please take a seat, Ms. Farron." Bartholomew gestured to the empty chair on the other side of the desk. "I apologize for calling you out so sudden, but I have a job I need you to take care of."

"What kind of job?" Lightning asked, raising a brow.

"An Investigation on Cocoon!"

"Investigate what exactly?"

"Undead activities. I believed they are currently your specialty." Bartholomew only hinted.

"The Necromancer?" Lightning inquired, gaining a nod from the middle-aged man. The man pulled out a folder from the drawer under the desk before opening it and handing her a report file.

"We're don't know the details exactly, but we received reports of witnessed account of walking corpses around what was supposed to be Bodhum after Eden fell on top of it and outside the Hanging Edge. Luckily there was not attack."

"A simple recon mission?" Lightning raised a brow, skimming through the report.

"Yes and that is why I am asking you alone to lead this investigation." Bartholomew informed her.

"What about Sazh?"

"Mr. Katzroy is currently working on an agricultural project with other Sanctum members. You can ask him for assistance but I think it would futile on your attempt seeing that he happily requested and volunteered himself when he heard about the project." Bartholomew said.

Lightning let out a sigh. It would be nice to have someone she could trust to look after her back. "So when do you want me to leave?"

"Preferably by tomorrow. Rygdea will informed you of the other minor details and gathered a troop to accompany with you on Cocoon."

"That's comforting." Lightning suggested.

"Not much to offer there." Bartholomew said, regardless. "I know you just got back from a mission, but seeing how things are, I can't trust anyone else with this mission." He sympathized with the woman, feeling worn out himself. "I wanted to go also; to check on Cocoon's condition and the people, however, the situation with my son has been very delicate lately."

"Hope still taking these changes hard?" Lightning inquired.

The older man nodded. "He's been quiet. He stays lock up his room and he isn't talking much. I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't talk to me."

"I understand. He is probably still in shock over everything."

"Well, I don't think that is the problem." Bartholomew sighed, taking off his glass before rubbing the space between his brow. The woman cocked her head, looking curiously at him. "I haven't seen Snow for a while."

Lightning made a soft "Oh" sound when realization hit her like a brick to the face. "A lover's spat, I presume." She mused. On the contrary, she hadn't seen Snow for couple days now. Something problem happened between the two.

"I am afraid so." Bartholomew muttered.

* * *

"Another day almost over." Hope said sullenly to himself. He was sitting, more like huddling with his knees pulled up to his chest and his arm crossed around them, near the shore beside the boathouse, listening to waves. He was looking at the calming and glorious sunset while ignoring the people behind of him going on with their usual business. It's been over four days since he last saw Snow or even spoke to anyone as a matter of fact. He spent the past days lying on his bed, under the covers and never coming out of his room other than to swell the creeping hunger into his stomach. When did his life become so boring? There was a hole in his chest, a dreadful feeling of unfulfillment and loneliness. Hope just wanted to walk into the water and let the waves carried him away. And maybe the waves could take him to a different and better world where he couldn't feel this much pain again.

Hope let out a sigh. That wouldn't bring back his mother alive and his old life again. He could whine and complain about it, but it wouldn't change anything. He lost it all because of one man: Snow Villiers. Hope felt his blood boil hearing himself thinking about that man. The life he once knew didn't exist because of that man. And as much he wanted too, he couldn't bring himself to hate the blond. His mind kept bringing up images of the man, smiling warmly and sweetly at him. The man made his chest feel lighthearted and overwhelmed with happiness. Hope didn't know how to get out of this conundrum and it was becoming frustrating. He clenched his fingers around a pebble beside him.

"Why can't I hate you?" He screamed, standing up and throwing the small stone with all of his strength into the water.

"Hope?"

Hope's head snapped to the voice behind him and saw the pink-haired soldier, Lightning if he remembered correctly, looking intrigued at him. He stared with a twisted and frustrated expression at the woman and then his eyes turned to the people loitering in the street behind the woman. Some of them had stopped and looked at him also. He shifted back his gaze to sunset, taking a seat back again on the sand. He ignored the light footstep brushing against the sand, approaching him. The woman took a seat beside him.

"I haven't see you in days?" Lightning asked. The boy looked like he was swallowed in grief and anger. She had seen this face before. It was the same boy she met at Lake Bresha, completely broken, unconfident, and misdirected.

Hope didn't say anything. He wasn't in any joyous mood to talk. He wanted to be alone and there was nothing anybody could say to change the deep and discontent feeling surging through his veins. The woman, just like his father, probably also knew about his mother's fate and didn't tell him also.

"I'm here if you want to talk about anything?"

"I don't want to talk about it..." Hope mumbled, not really acknowledging the presence beside him.

"It's Snow, isn't it?" Lightning asked carefully. It was obvious something was bothering Hope and Bartholomew was right. Something happened between Hope and Snow.

"You should know?" Hope shot a glare at the woman who only gave him a muddled look.

"What did he do?"

"He told me what happened to mom. It was his fault," Hope said, clenching his teeth.

Lightning held back a sigh and rolling her eyes, but she ended shaking her head slightly in distress while not making the action so obvious. '_Not this headache again._" Leave it Snow to rock the boat until it capsized. The man was sometime brainless in these situation.

"He put her in danger and because of that she is gone." Hope said, his voice raising. "And the thing I hate the most is that I am not mad at him... and I hate myself for that."

Lightning did a good job hiding a smile turning up on her lips. Even with the amnesia and those heart wretched emotions, it amazed her to no end that Hope could not stop loving Snow. It appeared that the bond and love that Snow and Hope shared ran much deeper than it appeared to be on the surface. "You shouldn't be mad at Snow." She said, giving the teen a pitiful look. "If there is anyone who should be mad at, it should be _me_."

"What do you mean?" Hope inquired curiously, his brow knitted together.

"The moment I became a l'Cie, I lost everything; my family, my dreams, and my future. I couldn't accept that, so I fought back against the things that took them away," Lightning paused, looking at the sky with a remorse expression, reminiscing about the choices she made: the good and the bad. At the time, she was struggling with her own immaturity and darkness. "Fighting was the only thing that kept me moving forward and it prevented me from seeing the truth. I didn't trust anyone, not even my own sister," She shifted her gaze back to Hope. "And I dragged you down with me. I was turning you into a murder, taking your frustration and anger out from Snow. When I realized the truth, I was too late to save you. I couldn't gave you the hope to continue surviving, but that didn't stop Snow."

Hope blinked as his eyes searched around him while he pondered and digested over what the pink-haired soldier said for a moment ago. "So Snow save me..."

"In so many ways a person could save another," Lightning muttered which only causes a blush to appear on Hope's face.

"B-but my mom? He said it-"

"Hope," Lightning interrupted the teen. "Snow didn't kill your mother. It was the Sanctum."

"What?" Hope gave the woman a pair of disbelief eyes, his forehead wrinkled with confusion. His mind was then plagued with the image of guilty and grieving blond-haired man. He remembered that look as it had made his heart twist in pain. Snow admitted that he was responsible for his mother's death, and now the woman was telling him it was the Sanctum's fault. "I don't understand."

"The Purge was the Sanctum logic of eliminating threats from Pulse, but it really was only an excuse to kill many lives. It was simple mass murder. We all saw what the Purge truly was, even your mother when they purged the city," Lightning took a moment, closing her eyes, remembering that dreaded place. "Rather than throwing his life away, Snow fought back against the Sanctum. He wanted to survive and live on. The other Purgees and your mother saw it as hope and that is why they fought back. Your mother died protecting Snow's cause. She died protecting you, to make sure you stay alive."

Hope only stared at the woman, trying to grasp everything he just heard before it sinks in. He then felt the anguish and anger dissipating from his body, replacing by a little warm fire engulfing his entire form. His mother died saving him! If what Lightning say was true, then Snow didn't kill his mother. "Then why Snow say that?" Hope asked, giving the female soldier a questionable look. It still didn't make sense why Snow said he was responsible for his mother's death.

"Half of it is because he's an idiot," Lightning said amused, a smile forming on her lips. "The other half is because he wasn't able to save her. She saved _his_ life also."

"Snow?" Hope's face scrunched in confusion.

Lightning nodded. "There was a cross-fire and she died right before Snow's eyes. He couldn't do anything. That is why he will always take the blame for Nora's death."

Hope didn't know how he felt about that. His mother's death wasn't in vain. She died for him and the people of Cocoon. Then his heart tightened when he remembered the wretched looked on Snow's face as he was splashed with a bucket of cold water. Snow was hurting too. His mother's death had affected the man also. The blond was just as upset as he was over his mother's death. A smile slowly crept on his face as he felt his heart unwinded. The guilt was still haunting the blond-haired man.

"You can hate this world you live in, hate your life, but don't hate Snow..." Lightning muttered, before grumbling. "He's reckless and rash, but he never hesitate with his decisions and always put himself in danger, even it meant taking extreme measures to protect the ones he loved. It's quite admirable. He's a nice and caring idiot."

Hope felt his heart fluttered with a warm and comforting sensation hearing the sincerity from the woman's lips. There was an upsurge, some ghost of emotions flowing through his body. "So... ummm... Snow and...I..." Hope stammered nervously, gulping down a nervous knot. He rubbed his right arm anxiously, feeling a rush of heat going to his cheeks.

Lightning raised an amused brow when she saw the blush dusted on the flustering teen's cheeks. She was about to open her mouth, but stopped when she discerned footsteps approaching them. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" Lightning said openly before standing up, facing the blond.

Hope turned around and saw Snow standing a yard away from him and the woman. His heart jumped as a sudden wave of heat coursed through his body for some longing reason, finally seeing Snow for days. The blond was looking at him with those sad and remorse eyes, seeking for empathy. Lightning then leaned forward against him, breaking his eyes away from the blond. "But you sure can pick them." The soldier snickered quietly in his ears before walking towards the blond nonchalantly. Snow still had his attention on him as the woman walked passed the blond. A pair of soft and lonely sapphire eyes bored at his own eyes, never wavering.

"Hope..." Snow stopped himself, glancing away with a heartbroken expression.

Hope sighed, shaking his head. He repressed a smile forming on his face. '_He's an idiot alright._' The man probably had his brain wired wrong or something. He turned back to the ocean, taking a seat on the sand. A pair of heavy feet sauntered behind him before hesitantly taking a seat beside him. He kept his eyes peered over the golden ocean, ignoring the eyes looking at him while he watched the sun began to disappear into the horizon.

"I am-"

"Don't say it!" Hope said, quickly placing a finger on Snow's lips. He observed the blond's face, seeing the fatigue and stress dancing around those blue eyes. His eyes then turned to his finger on Snow's lips which he didn't know were there to begin with. He pulled back quickly, feeling a heat rising in his face. "Lightning told him what happened to my mother." Hope spoke, feeling the figure beside him turning rigid. "You don't have to apologize anymore. I understand now. The Purge. Everything." He locked eyes with Snow's. "We can't change the past no matter much he wished for it."

"Hope..." Snow swallowed hard, his eyes couldn't break away from the Hope's entrancing presence.

"Did my mom say anything to you?"

Snow nodded. "She asked to keep you safe."

"And you did that." Hope said, smiling warmly at the blond. It wasn't about his anger anymore. It was about Snow atoning for his sins. He then felt the figure beside him relaxed and unknotted, as a heavy burden just disappeared from the world.

Snow jumped slightly when he felt a small hand ghosted over his large hand. His eyes met Hope's who was blushing slightly, realizing then how close they were. Snow's throat constricted at the sight. Those giant green pools and pink, sweet lips were just begging to be devoured. He tried with all of his might to push his eyes away from the beautiful teen, feeling a rumble in his chest. His brain was so close from shutting down. It would be far too easy to kiss the young teen, with some added naughty moves, at the moment. His last shred of intelligence held him back sadly. "Thanks." Snow felt his heart soared when he felt Hope's fingers entwined in his.

"I'll never go back on that promise. I swear." Snow muttered, tightening his fingers around Hope's. He wanted then and there to tell Hope everything, about them. The words were stuck in his throat and not a single of one was able to escape his lips. The past few days had been emotionally wrecking enough. He didn't want to regain Hope's thrust just to suddenly lose it again. He just had to be patient and wait, hoping one day Hope's memories returned soon.

"I have been having some strange dreams recently." Hope uttered out of the blue.

"Nightmares?" Snow asked worriedly, but Hope only shook his head.

"Its still a big blur. I was somewhere inside of Pulse... I think. Lightning and the guy with the afro-haired were there."

"Sazh?" Snow asked, gaining a nod from Hope.

"You were there too." Hope said, blushing slightly.

"Is there anything else?" Snow pushed further, swallowing a large lump trying to resist pouncing. Why did his lover have to be so sexy and adorable at the same time?

"Well..." Hope bit on his lower lip, his eyes softened. "There were two others. I don't see them, but for some reason, I know they were there too. Something inside of me is telling me I should remember them, but I don't. It hurts and I don't understand."

"You probably thinking of Fang and Vanille." Snow said, seeing a spark of curiosity glittering in Hope's green orbs. Hope still didn't remember anything that happened three months ago, but Snow had to at least try something. He quickly stood up with his hands reach out. "C'mon. You wanna see them?"

Hope's brow knitted together. He watched with round eyes at the smirk on the blond's face and then to the hand. He felt his cheeks burning before hesitantly reaching out, placing his hand in Snow's large and welcoming hand. His heart beat wilding when the man gently pulled him on his feet before leading back to the city. Snow was grinning brightly, never letting go of his hand and the teen found he couldn't protest. Hope allowed the blond to lead him through the city, his hands tightened around the warm and calloused hand. They came up to his house before entering it. Hope was now confused. "Ummm... Snow?"

"Here." Snow said, walking up the stairs.

Hope blinked, bewildered as the man disappeared up the stairs. He heard some rummage in his room before reluctantly climbed up the stairway to his room. He found Snow searching through his bedroom drawer before crouching near the bed, looking for something underneath it. "What are you looking-"

"Found it!" Snow exclaimed cheerfully, finding the item between the mattresses.

Hope quickly appeared beside Snow, looking at the item in the blond's hand. It was a photo. He blinked, staring at the girl dressed in pink with bright red pigtail hair and adorned with bangles, and a young, bronzed-skinned woman in blue in the photograph. Obscurely, Hope felt something reverberate in his chest and then the two unknown faces suddenly became visible in his head. "It's them." Hope said astounded.

"Do you want to meet them?" Snow asked, gaining a perplexed look from the teen.

_To Be Continued_...

* * *

**A/N:** This have been a very productive month so far. Let's hope I can keep it up :) We're approaching the end (about 70% completed so far, I think), so hold onto your seat because I don't know what's going to happen next :p I am switching the focus of the story to Snow/Hope for the next few chapters, which I think I didn't emphasize them much so far. We need more Snow/Hope, don't you think? Also I want to say thanks to those who reviews. U guys are my heart and soul, literally! *Sniff* *Sniff* If it wasn't for you guys, this story wouldn't be possible.

**Please Reviews! **


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Final Fantasy XIII, Adventure, Fantasy